There be Dragons, Space Dragons
by weepingelm
Summary: Captain Arthur Pendragon and the crew of the USS CAMELOT rescue a teenager from certain death with no knowledge of who he is or what race he descends from. This is the tale of how they form a friendship and help each other in ways they could never have imagined. Based in Star Trek Original Series time frame but none of the characters so not cross over
1. Chapter 1

The U.S.S. Camelot was orbiting a class M planet that showed promise of being suitable for settlement. The crew were in the middle of a surface scan of the life forms on the surface prior to a full survey but surface teams. It was the most promising planet they had found for a long time. Most of the suitable planets already had sentient and developing life forms present. This one seemed at first scan to have some life forms but none showing signs of a developing intelligence they were waiting for the full scans to be collected. Some reptiles and a few mammal species and fish in the seas but nothing to suggest that, despite its age, intelligent species had developed.

Captain Arthur Pendragon was getting impatient to start the surface work. He hadn't felt earth under his feet for too long and nor had his crew. The Camelot had a crew of four hundred and thirty, and he knew them all and was already working out the teams he would select for the first wave to go to the surface. His thoughts were interrupted by his science officer Mr De Luc. "Captain I have the preliminary report for you based on out complete scan of the planet"

"Good call a meeting of the chief of departments for an hour's time, and then we can get this show on the road." Arthur grinned "I need some fresh air." Arthur was impatient but it would be silly to listen now and then expect Lance to repeat everything later. Arthur was one of the youngest Captains in the fleet but that didn't make him the stupidest. He knew there was a time and place for everything.

A hour later he was sat waiting as one by the others arrived first was Lance, his science officer, Percy Hooper, head of security, First officer Leon Knight, Tactician and Weapons, Gwaine Green, Navigator Morgana La Fay, Eylan Smith Chief Engineer and Chief Medical Officer, and the eldest crew member, Gaius Wilson.

Once they were all sat down Arthur called the meeting to order then turned to Lance "Come on let's not waste any time what have we got"

Lance stood up and looked at the others "The planet is approx fifty percent oceans as you are aware of the remaining fifty percent there are large areas of deserts and polar ice caps the rest is made up of forests with grassland. Our initial scans have shown the land to be populated with about seventy five percent of reptiles and some mammals. The only flying creatures appear to be reptilian, with some of considerable size, average of thirty feet long. The mammals are small in size the largest being rabbit sized. The seas are also mainly of a more primitive forms. There is an anomaly in that there appears to be a small population of humanoids. They are in several groups with a world population no larger than two hundred all settled in a fairly small area."

That caused a mummers among those who hadn't heard before "I assume some sort of settlers" Arthur asked.

"It would appear to be so, there are no signs of a past civilisation and the numbers are too small to be anything else, however there is no sign of any power being used or how they got there. The level of development is low, their habitation is fairly primitive. They may be survivors of a crash, we can't be sure. They seem to be living with hunting and primitive agriculture."

Gaius spoke up "we've looked carefully and can see no signs that these are the remainder of a larger population, ravaged by disease, but we can't rule that out. We will need to be very careful, I have had air samples taken but we need to go down suited until we're sure. And full decontamination procedures need to be in place." He glared at his captain. "No moaning about fresh air until we're one hundred percent sure" he raised his eyebrows in an expression they all knew too well, in other words 'do as you told'.

"On the plus side the air is very close to earth normal although[ on the hotter side and temperatures are in the thirties at the moment, but with the large retile population we would expect that." Lance continued.

Leon spoke out "After talking to Gaius and Lance we feel that a site about ten miles from the largest settlement might offer the best first site for exploration. If we beam down a small first contact team first then do the full survey with teams going down in shuttlecraft "

"That sounds sensible" Arthur said "And the first landing party recommendations?" he asked.

"Lance, Percy, Gwen and Gwaine and I" Leon said "Lance needs to be there, Gwen as Gaius's second; she also has knowledge of planets who have suffered catastrophic population decrease, Gwaine and Percy because of the large reptiles also Gwaine's home planet is very similar to this one, excepting the abnormal retile population, and myself to lead." Leon said expecting a protest for Arthur.

"I see, I think I should go down, Leon you can stay here" Arthur said quickly.

"Sir, don't you think with all the unknowns you should stay on the ship" Leon added

"That's just why I should go Leon" It was clear that Arthur intended to go come what may.

The plans were made and they would set off in three hours. All personnel would wear full protection shields for the time they were on the planet would be fully decontaminated on return. The new shields meant they didn't need the bulky suits they used to use. The shields operated over normal clothing and except for a glow were almost invisible to the eye.

They materialised in the planned spot and started to look around. The area had very large vegetation and was very lush but humid. The was a large rocky outcrop to one side. None of the plant life looked anything like they were used to accept to say there were what appeared to be ferns and grasses. As Lance and Gwen started to scan the area Arthur, Gwaine and Percy looked round from a more defensive point of view. They may need to protect themselves from the reptiles and indeed the humanoids. Gwen was the first to speak:

"There appears to be a very weak humanoid signal coming from the rocks Captain."

""In that case lets go and investigate, keep on your toes" Arthur and the others drew their phasers out "Keep them on stun"

As they walked closer to the rocks they could make out what appeared to be a cave albeit a small one. The signal seemed to be coming from inside the cave. As they got closer the men fanned out while Gwen and Arthur went towards the cave entrance. Percy stepped towards Arthur "I'll go in Sir, it may be a trap of some sort."

Arthur stepped back to cover Percy as he went inside. Arthur stopped Gwen following "We'll go in if it's safe and not before." he told her.

"Sir, I believe whoever is in their is in no position to cause us a problem, the readings are very weak." Gwen protested.

"That's as may be, a weak and injured being can be all the more dangerous" Arthur insisted.

Percy went in cautiously and it was a couple of minutes before he called out. "Come on in, one humanoid but he looks almost dead."

Arthur and the others went into the cave leaving Gwaine at the cave entrance as look out. As Arthur's eyes adjusted to the darker cave he could see a figure led on the ground. Percy was checking it over. "No weapons of any sort Sir, this poor sod isn't going to be a problem."

Gwen moved forward had Arthur heard her gasp "Oh the poor thing." before she knelt down and started to take readings. Arthur got closer and he too was surprised by what he saw. The figure was dressed in what could only be called rags. The head was cover in long black matted hair and Arthur could just make out some stubble or a fine covering of hair to the lover face. But what had made him look twice was the almost starved appearance of the parts of the body he could see. The boy or man was almost a skeleton covered in paper like ski. He appeared to be clutching some sort of bag close to his abdomen and it seemed he didn't want to let it go.

Gwen looked up at Arthur "We need to get him up to the ship Captain, even then I doubt we'll save him"

At that Gwaine shouted out "Company coming"

Arthur walked to the cave entrance with Percy in tow. Come up towards the rocks form the valley below were a group of what looked like hunters. Twelve in number they were dressed in very basic clothing made mostly of some sort of leather and on their feet were moccasin type shoes also made of leather. They were all carrying spears or bow and arrows. As they got closer they stopped and began to huddle closer together clearly unsure who Arthur and his team were. Yet Arthur noticed they didn't seem as surprised as he might have expected.

The biggest surprise was when the leader spoke to Arthur in a very broken but understandable English standard "What here for?"

"We are from the United Federation of Planets, we mean you no harm, we have found one of your people he is very ill" Arthur explained.

"Go ... our home ... we kill him...devils sperm" came the angry reply.

"Why do you wish to kill him, has he broken your laws?" Arthur asked their leader.

"Devils sperm, must die, should have killed at birth. You go" came the reply. The other men started to wave their spears in anger.

Arthur looked at them in puzzlement "What has he done?" he asked once more.

"Devils sperm" was the only reply.

Arthur turned to Gwaine "Tell Gwen to beam up with him, but keep an eye and make sure he doesn't go anywhere other than sickbay and have security on him"

Gwaine went in and spoke to Gwen and there was a hum of the transporter in the background. Then Lance and Gwaine came out to join Arthur and Percy. Arthur turned once more to the group:

"Your man has gone, we have taken him to our ship, we need to speak with you, we mean no harm. I am Captain Pendragon from the USS Camelot we have come to survey your planet. Are you crash survivors or have you people been ill?"

"We came many years, to be alone, go away and take Devil sperm or we kill" the leader said. As he finished speaking another man came forward and whispered in his leaders ear. Then he stepped forward.

"My name is Obram, I joined the settlement ten years ago when my ship landed here. The people here are from an earlier settlement, they wish to live simply and not have the things modern man expects. They have been approached many times, by different races, about leaving but just wish to live alone. They know their numbers are decreasing but accept that, and the fact that in time they will die out. The boy you have saved is the result of one such ship. One of their kind stayed here with the healer, they had a child, then they found he was evil and drove him into the desert to die. Life is hard here but the rules are simple. The boy was safe, but not liked, until his mother died. Now they want to send him to the desert to die. He is not welcome here, he ran and has been living alone but the people want him gone. They will not risk him breeding with one of their own."

Arthur asked again "but what has he done, what did his father do?"

Obram looked at Arthur "As I said their rules are simple, his father was different and didn't fit in, his ways were not theirs. They feared him, they fear his son. They would have killed him when he was born but they only had one healer so they let him live, when she died he wasn't welcome."

"So they would kill him for being different?" Arthur demanded.

"They would, I stayed here as their healer, it is a good life but a hard one, they have little to eat and won't waste it on unwanted people. All the people voted, none sided with him. Take him and leave do not come back."

Arthur looked at the other group appalled by what he heard "The universe is full of different races, we celebrate it and are stronger for it."

"That's why the people are here, it is our refuge from such a place." Obram told him. "We have a few more each year who join us. We do not interfere with others if we are left alone. We do not wish to change others just live as we wish."

Arthur turned away in disgust. "Come on gentlemen I think we will do as were asked." he turned to Obram "I will record your colony in our records"

"Oh it is already recorded, how do you think I found it. We are left alone and want it that way. Our founder was from one of the top Earth families and left to come here, several generations ago, with a ship of other likeminded people."

Arthur turned and gave the order for them to be beamed up. On arrival back at the ship Arthur went straight to the sickbay after asking Lance to see if he could find record of the colony.


	2. Chapter 2

Lance managed to find a record of the colony after a long search. It seemed they wanted to be written off the record. The original settlers were a group of

three hundred souls who were dissatisfied with the status quo, and due to having a wealthy benefactor managed to have a class M planet allocated to them to settle. They were joined by a few more people over the years. But never became the prosperous settlement they had hoped for. Probably due to their wish for a more primitive life with no modern amenities. It didn't hold much attraction, whist it sounded nice in principle taken to the extreme that the colonies leaders demanded they had few takers for their lifestyle. They had requested that their settlement be removed from the records after receiving visits from those they considered undesirables. Most of the present settlers were either children or grandchildren of the original group and over the years they had become even more radical in their views.

While Lance began his research the Captain made his way to the sickbay and Dr Gaius Wilson. Arthur had known Gaius most of his life ad he had always been a friend of the family. When Gaius's beloved wife, Alice, had died Gaius decided he wanted to get away from all his memories. When Arthur had heard he jumped at the chance of getting Gaius as the Camelot's Head of the medical department. He might have been older than most in the service, but his knowledge was unsurpassed. Not only in modern medicine, but he had a fascination with herbal remedies and medicine of other cultures that made him a force to be reckoned with. He was also the only man who could make the Captain listen and see sense over his own health.

As Arthur walked into the sickbay he was greeted by the site of both Gaius and Gwen working on the young man from the planet. Somehow they had separated him from his bag and he was lead out on the diagnostic couch. The machine was bleeping away over his head, Arthur looked at the readings, he understood some for a normal 'fit' human but didn't consider himself an expert. But it was clear to him that many of the readings were way of norm. Provided of course that the boy was human. Gaius looked up as Arthur entered. "Hello my boy, come to see our patient have you, well the first thing you can do is get your security types out of here."

"They stay Gaius we have no real information on the lad." Arthur told him.

"Well let them wait outside then, their getting in our way! This boy won't be going anywhere for a long time" he insisted.

Arthur nodded to the two security men and they went and stood outside the door. "That better?" he asked.

"Ummp" was the only reply he got.

"So what can you tell me?" Arthur asked impatiently.

"Well I can tell you the boy is almost dead from malnutrition and dehydration. At some stage in the past few weeks he was beaten to within an inch of his life. But he appears to be a very quick healer. I suspect it's something in his DNA. He's half human, but what the other half is I have no idea. Doing a brain scan showed areas that I have no idea what they do. What I do know is if we can rehydrate him and feed him up he should be fine, given time. But that's more what he's doing to himself than what we're doing." Gaius turned to Arthur "I would imagine he's about seventeen, eighteen but with his unknown heritage I might be way off."

"From what I was told on the planet that sounds about right." Arthur admitted. "He's going to have to stay with us until we can drop him of at a base somewhere, they've made it clear they'll kill him if he goes back."

Gwen turned round "Why, what did he do?"

"From what I understand nothing but be born, they appear not to have liked his father and when his mother died they turned on him. He was safe until then as she was their healer." Arthur admitted. "But I don't want to take chances hence the guards."

Gaius turned to Arthur "I think I'd rather trust him than them, from what Gwen tells me."

"What was in his bag? have you looked? He was very keen not to let it go" Arthur said looking at the dirty and ragged bag.

"No we are more concerned with him, but he didn't want to let it go weak as he was" Gaius snapped.

Arthur went and picked up the bag and putting it on Gaius desk opened it up. He took out the contents carefully and looked at each item with interest, trying to figure out why they were so important. The first thing he removed was a woman's scarf fashioned as the one the settlers wore, he assumed it was the boys mother's, there was a couple of tatty notebooks full of drawings. Several neckerchiefs, similar to the one the boy had been wearing when they found him, a carved reptile from some sort of wood and in the bottom of the bag some sort of coat or vest made of something Arthur had never seen before. It appeared to be made of some sort of scales and was very flexible and looked very strong. Checking the bag for anything else he withdrew a metal disk with intricate patterns on both sides. It was clearly designed to be worn hung on something as it has a loop at the top.

"Well I think this is just his personal effects" Arthur said "I'll leave them here"

"I expect it's all he has" Gwen said "He was wearing this round his neck" she handed Arthur a smaller version of the large disc in the bag, it seemed to have slightly different markings and was half the size.

"I'll get Lance to look into it, it might tell us where his father was from. It doesn't look like something one of the settlers would have" Arthur pondered

"Can you take the bigger one then?" Gwen suggested "I will put his one back on him once we have him all cleaned up"

"We've knocked him out for a time to help him recover, so you won't be able to question him" Gaius smirked "So you can take yourself off and leave us in peace."

The Captain looked down at the boy and frowned "There's something about him that makes me curious, he doesn't look like he'd be a danger to anyone, one puff of wind and he'd fall over, I shouldn't think he's ever carried any weight or muscle. He looks very pale for someone living on a hot planet, is that because of his condition?"

"No I would assume he's always pale, and like you said slender but he's a tough one" Gaius pulled back the sheet slightly so Arthur could see the extensive bruising, now going a mottled yellow and black. "He is covered in bruising, I think he was stoned"

"That settles it he's not going back down planet side. If he has done anything wrong he doesn't deserve that." Arthur said "We'll be orbiting for a few days just to take more details of the planet then we'll leave here. We can drop him of at the next star base and let them decide what to do with him."

Arthur left the sick bay and went to shower and change before going to the bridge. Once sat in the captain's chair he stared at the planet below, deep in thought. Lance approached him and explained what he had found. Adding, "The boy was probably born there unless he was a new addition, it sounded like this father was a newcomer to me."

Arthur handed Lance the disc he had taken from the bag "Seen anything like that before?"

Lance looked at the disc and its strange markings before putting the image up on the screen much enlarged. All the bridge personnel looked at it with interest.

It was Freya Lake the Communications officer who broke the silence "The marking look a bit like the Celtic runes I've seen. Has Gaius looked at this?" Freya was a slight framed girl who was from the Planet Gersami and very knowledgeable on languages throughout the federation and beyond.

"Not in detail I think he's rather more interested in our young man, it looks like he has been stoned. Gaius thinks he's half human but has no idea on the other half." Arthur told her.

"I will do some research, it looks like something used for ceremonies of some sort rather than a language in itself. I mention Gaius because of his interest in Ancient earth history, particularly of his native Britain."

Lance ran a scanner over it "It's also unbelievably old, at least three thousand years."

"Better take good care of it, once you've done what you need return it to sick bay, I think out guest might be upset if it's missing. He also has a smaller version round his neck. Let me know what you find out." Arthur was now even more puzzled.

Several of the crew had beamed down away from the settlement to continue to take readings and samples, Arthur intended to stay for a week before moving on. The planet may have residents but they were not natural to the planet and he wanted to know more. He took the opportunity to go down himself the next day. He was fascinated by the reptiles. None of the larger flying ones came close to the crew but flew overhead, almost as if they were watching them work. It was on one of Arthur's planet side visits when he received some disturbing news from the ship. It seemed their guest had disappeared.

He beamed back up to the ship to lead the search, it was clear the boy was still on board having no means of getting to the planet. He had last seen by Gaius as was still unconscious then he has found gone. His bag was still in sick bay so they had no reason to assume he wasn't intending to return. In checking the contents they found the strange vest missing.

They has searched everywhere and could find no trace ever when they fed the boys unusual life signs into the ships computer to look for him. It was then that Gwaine picked him up on the surface scanners. Arthur took Gwaine, Percy and two other security officers down to the planet. No one had any idea how he had got to the surface.

They beamed down a short distance away from the reading and carefully made their way to the recorded location. It site was fairly open and flat with some of the fernlike trees around a large open area. Careful to try to keep out of sight they moved carefully forward. When they got there they were amazed by what they saw. There in front of them was the boy, clearly very weak, with his vest over his slender build and in front of him were several of the flying reptiles.

Although they couldn't hear anything it looked almost as if the boy was communicating with the large beasts. The largest was immediately in front of the boy and as they watched the boy put his hand up and appeared to touch the beast's nose in affection. Several smaller reptiles, clearly youngsters kept giving closer to the boy and wanting his attention. The men stared in fascination at the scene in front of them. All of a sudden the boy turned and looked straight at their hiding place.

"You can come out Captain" the boy spoke in a quiet but firm voice, although he was clearly shaken by their presence "They won't hurt you"

Arthur and the others stepped out from the cover they had been hiding in

"How did you get here?" Arthur asked

"How did you find me? I would have been back soon." The boy demanded. "I wanted to see my family"

"This is your family?" Arthur wasn't sure what to make of that. "Are you a shape changer"

"No, but they are my family, we are kin Captain."

"Look…." Arthur realized he still didn't know the boy's name "What is your name by the way?"

The boy looked at Arthur and gave him a goofy smile that lit his face up. "I doubt if you could pronounce it, it's M'rrlllyin but most call me Monster or Merlin if you want to be nice" His pronunciation of his name sounded like it would make Arthur's throat sore so he settled for Merlin.

"Hello Merlin, I'm Captain Arthur Pendragon it was my space ship you absconded from." He said with a grin. "This is Commander Green, Hooper and Ensigns Brown and Hungre.

"Hello, Thank you for looking after me, I will come back when I'm ready. As I said I wanted to see my family, Kilgarrah says I should go with you, but I shall miss them, they are all I have" Merlin sounded sad. "He says it is my destiny"

"And Kilgarrah is?" Arthur asked.

Merlin looked at Arthur in surprise "Why this is Kilgarrah" he pointed to the largest of the reptiles. He is my kin, he was here with my father and my father's father. He has been with my family for many generations. They were here before the ….. Others came …..They took our home and killed us before we realised what they were like, only my father survived and in the end they killed him. They will kill me if I stay so I need to find us a new home. I must make sure my kin have a home. They would have killed them to had they known, but my father forbade them to act."

"So your people are the true people of this planet?" Arthur was trying to understand.

"We were the first but we came from a long dead planet 'Dragon' we have travelled it many places but were not accepted for long, they don't understand we mean no harm. I am as far as I know the last of my kind." Merlin had a tear in his eye and his voice caught in his throat. "We were spread far, I hope to find more. My kin have fared better as you see there are some fifty three and they live for longer, but I need to find somewhere safe for them"

Merlin turned to the largest reptile and nodded before turning back to Arthur "Kilgarrah would like to speak to you, he was forbidden to speak by my father who thought it would keep them safe if the others thought they were dumb animals."

"He can speak?" Arthur wondered if Merlin had been alone to long.

The he heard a deep voice that demanded attention "I speak and my name is Kilgarrah not 'he' the name has been used by my family for several thousand of your years young Pendragon. You must care for M'mmlllyin, he is the other side if your coin, together you will save our species and many more. You must keep him by your side always."

"I will certainly get him somewhere safe but he can't stay on the Camelot I'm afraid" Arthur explained.

"You are not listening to me " the creature roared "You will find away or your species will also suffer the fate of the Dracon" the large beast turned his head upwards and let forth a blast of flame.

"Christ it's a dragon!" Gwaine said from behind Arthur

"I am a Dracon as is M'mmllylin, I am a Dracon and he is our Draconlord, and you will care for him" Kilgarrah roared.

"No! Kilgarrah, no flame not here if the others see you will be in danger, keep the flame for the desert where no man ventures." Merlin said sternly.

Kilgarrah nodded low

"I will be back soon, please leave now" Merlin asked Arthur. "I want one last fly before I leave"

"We are not beasts of burden M'mmllliyn" Kilgarrah said in an exasperated tone

"Just once more please, I will miss you" Merlin was clearly holding it together with difficulty.

"How will your get back? And how did you get here?" Arthur asked once more.

"I will show you later" Merlin said. "Please" he pleaded

Arthur looked at the others before nodding "Don't be long we are going to warp out soon." With that he walked away.

As soon as they were out of ear shot Gwaine turned to Arthur "What did you make of that?"

"I don't know, but I think I am looking forward to a talk with Merlin" Arthur said

"I'm glad he doesn't want to bring any of his family with him" Percy said, which for his was a lot, being a more silent type.

"Now that would be fun" Gwaine said as long as it was one of the little ones. Little did he know that that remark would come back to haunt him.

Once the landing party had beamed up Merlin turned to Kilgarrah "Are you sure I must go?"

"Yes young master it was written. You with Pendragon will save our species and his. You are young for such a large task, take care and keep your amulet with you always."

"Should I tell him of my powers? He might hate me, think me a monster" Merlin asked.

"He cannot hate that which makes him whole, the starman has seen much," Kilgarrah said "Climb on my back"

They flew around with the other dracon's flying with them once they had landed Merlin grabbed Kilgarrah's large leg "I can't go alone I just can't" he cried.

"Then take Aithusa she will be small for many years yet, send her back if necessary don't risk her. You called her from her egg, if you go it is best she goes with you or she may pine. The Captain I fear won't be happy" Kilgarrah said fondly.

"He won't know, not until it is too late" Merlin grinned as he picked up the smallest Dracon muttering something under his breath and as his eyes flashed gold the small Dracon, the size of a small dog shrank to the size of a mouse. "Not for long Aithusa but stay hidden and be good" She snuggled into M'mmllliyn as and soon asleep.

"Call if you need us M'mmllliyn, may the gods be with you"

Merlin took out the disc from around his neck his eyes flashed gold and he was gone. He appeared a second later on the bridge in front of a very surprised Captain and officers. He looked around and frowned "Who has my amulet?"

Lance looked guilty "This you mean?"

Merlin walked across and snatched it from Lance "That is mine you are not to touch without my consent"

The Captain looked at Merlin "Right how did you get here without setting off every alarm on board."

"I came to my amulet, I asked it to bring me to it. If you had left it alone I would have returned to my bed" he said sullenly "I am tired, you" he said looking at Lance "are a nuisance"


	3. Chapter 3

Then Merlin spotted the screen showing the open space with the planet rotating below. He stared at it in fascination. His gaunt face looking in wonder "Is that … home" he asked. "I saw a picture of a planet in a book mum had"

Arthur looked at the boy and smiled "Yes it is, beautiful isn't it?"

"It's fantastic" he stood looking at the scene for a few more moments then he felt his legs begin to buckle, he grabbed at the back of the captain's chair to stop himself falling. "I think I need to rest" he said weakly "Where's the door" he glance round puzzled, nothing looked familiar.

Gwaine turned and grabbed Merlin to stop him falling "Come on I'll take you back to sick bay"

"That's alright Gwaine, I'll take him I need to speak to Gaius" Arthur turned to Merlin "Come on you idiot let's get you back"

Merlin was even paler than he had been before but he still managed a comeback "At least I'm not a prat" with that he wobbled even more.

"On second thoughts Gwaine take his other arm, I don't want him collapsing on me" Arthur said and the two me steered Merlin towards the turbo lift. As the door whooshed open the young boy started back in surprise, he had never seen such a thing in his life before, having lived in a single story wooden house all his life. In fact there was only one double stories building in the whole village. "Steady on there, you have lots of new experiences to get used to" Arthur told the startled lad.

Once in the lift Merlin jumped once more as it moved first down, then across until it opened just outside sick bay. "Come on young un" Gwaine said kindly "Let's get you back with the Doc"

Gaius had clearly been warned and he was waiting for them. "What have you been up to young man" He asked Merlin "You don't leave here without my say so"

"Sorry" came the faint reply.

"I'll check you over then you can sleep, come on let's get that vest off" Gaius went to help Merlin, but the boy pulled away "I can do it" he said.

Then looking at everyone he said "Are you going to watch!"

"Change in here, this will be your room for a few days" Gaius said kindly showing Merlin to a side room "These two can tell me what you've been up to"

Merlin scurried into the room, this time not jumping as the door opened and closed. Once in he checked no one was watching he had a good look at the sparsely furnished and clinical room. It has a single bed with monitors above and a set of draws at the side. Once Merlin was happy he carefully took out the sleeping baby dragon from inside his vest, and making sure not to wake her carefully placed her in the draw by the bed. He took his vest off and placed it over the sleeping form. Once the draw was closed his eyes flashed gold to hold the draw closed. Then Merlin looked round and picked up a blanket and wrapped it round him before going back out to the others.

While Merlin was changing Arthur filled in Gaius "We still don't understand how he got to and from the surface but it involved the discs in some way, that was why he came back to the bridge."

Gwaine couldn't help but tell Gaius about the Dragons "He called um kin and said they were dracons but they breathed fire, which to me makes them dragons"

"When you've checked him over and let him sleep were going to have to have a long talk with him. Just try not to lose him this time" Arthur stressed.

As Merlin came out clutching the blanket round him Arthur smiled at the picture. With his very slender body and gaunt face and the long straggly black hair, Merlin made quite a picture. "Look Merlin I'm going to leave you for now but will see you later. This ship is moving very fast away from the planet so don't try to go back. You'll spread your atoms all over space. Do you understand?"

Merlin gave a slight grin "No, but I'm not going anywhere" he said as Gaius helped him onto the examination table. With that the Doctor shooed them out of his department. Once Gaius was happy that Merlin hadn't made things worse he gave him a meal and high protein drink before giving him some sleeping clothes.

"Go to your bed, and stay there young man. You need rest" Gaius said kindly. Once the boy had gone into his room Gaius set down at the computer to start looking for references to the Dracon.

Merlin checked he wasn't being watched the his eyes flashed golden as when he saw a camera in the corner, all it would show now was a boy sleeping in a bed. Then he went to the draw and opened it and taking out the small Dracon returned her to her full size. That of a small dog, feeding her some of the food he had managed to pocket, Merlin then changed into the sleeping clothes and got into bed, getting the baby Dracon to cuddle up to him for comfort. It suited him that they were going away from the planet of his birth, by morning he hoped they would be too far away to return Aithusa. With that thought he sunk into a dreamless sleep, on a mattress far more comfortable than anything he had ever slept on before. Merlin had planned on waking up before Aithusa was spotted and hiding her for a bit longer, but he hadn't planned on his exhaustion.

It was Gwen next morning that decided to check on Merlin, it seemed from the nurse on duty that Merlin hadn't stirred all night. His life signs from the monitor had remained constant if puzzling. Gwen collected some food for the boy and went to give it to him. As she approached the bed she was puzzled, Merlin was in a different position than the camera showed him. Also he appeared to be cuddled round something. As she got closer there was an angry hiss from the bed, and a small white creature sat up and glared at her. She could see it looked like a small reptile and had wings. Stepping back she went to find Gaius.

Gaius was out in the main bay as Gwen went to him "Gaius I think we have a problem, not only can our patient make the cameras show something else but he seems to have brought a friend back with him"

Gaius followed Gwen back to the side room and looked in, by now the baby dracon was sitting on the end of the bed and was clearly guarding the boy in it. Gaius's eyebrows rose as he looked at the scene before him "Call the Captain will you Gwen, and ask him to be quiet when he arrives"

Gaius went out into the room to the food server in the corner and called up some raw meat and carefully took it to the side room. "Here you are little one" he carefully put the dish of meat on the end of the bed. Aithusa sniffed it but didn't touch it, instead she looked at Merlin and then went and rubbed her nuzzle on his face. The boy didn't stir. "Please little one let him sleep, you are safe with me, there's nothing wrong with the food." He took a step closer only to have the creature hiss at him once more.

Arthur arrived and looked over Gaius's shoulder in amazement "How did that get here?" he demanded

"I have no idea Captain, is this one of the dracons that Gwaine told me about?" he asked

"It is, this one was there when I saw Merlin with them" Arthur admitted "Or I think it was"

"In that case it might be best not to upset it, I don't want my sick bay burnt to the ground." Gaius said ruefully.

Arthur looked at Gaius "Do you think one that small could breathe fire?" he asked somewhat concerned.

"I don't know, and I suggest we don't find out. Let the boy sleep for a while longer and then he can tell us" Gaius looked at Arthur. "I want to know how it came to be here"

"You're not the only one"

It was a further hour before Merlin woke to find the security guards watching him from the door. As they noticed he was awake one called the Captain and the other called Gaius. The doctor arrived first with Gwen in tow, he looked at his charge and his eyebrow raised in a way that would have made anyone who knew him quiver. "Now my boy, what have you been up to? And who is your friend, he won't eat anything and I think he must be as hungry as you"

Merlin had the grace to look sheepish "It's a she and she's called Aithusa" he picked up the plate of meat and sniffed it.

"It's alright if that's what you think, I am a doctor I wouldn't hurt her" Gaius reassured the young man.

Merlin gave the dish to the young dracon and told her to eat, as she did he soothed her absentmindedly. As she was eating the Captain and first officer arrived "So you're awake, how did your dracon get on board?" a rather cross Captain demanded.

"I shrank her, she was in my vest"

"You shrank her!..." a startled Captain repeated.

"Captain might I suggest you let the lad have some food and let me check him over, once I'm happy you can come back but without your goons" Gaius told Arthur. "I'm sure Merlin and …. Aithusa will behave until then. Won't you" he said looking at Merlin for confirmation.

Merlin nodded. Arthur huffed and then said in a snide manner "And you think we can trust him?"

"Yes you can!" Merlin protested. "Besides what could I do?"

"Now that I'm not sure about, I have no idea what you can and can't do" Arthur said angrily.

"I promise I won't do anything unless the healer says I can" Merlin said back.

"There that's good enough now off you go you two I will let you know when you can come back" Gaius said sternly. He clearly wasn't going to let them question Merlin until he was happy with his condition.


	4. Chapter 4

Gaius quickly checked Merlin over and after satisfying himself that although the boy was still far from well he was no worse for his visit to the planet's surface. He showed Merlin the food selector and after some debate between them a breakfast was selected for Merlin, who ate it slowly. Gaius had told him he was to eat little and often, as he had been without proper food for so long. Merlin was then shown how to use the sonic shower, a new experience for him, but he loved it. Then Gwen cut Merlin's hair and got all the tangles out of it. This showed his ears rather more than Merlin liked "I always got called names because of my ears" he told Gwen.

"Well I think they suit you" she reassured him.

Then after satisfying himself that the Dracon was alright Merlin accepted yet another protein drink to sip while Gaius called the Captain. As they waited Merlin introduced Aithusa to both Gaius and Gwen, the tiny dracon was unsure but allowed them to touch her before settling onto Merlin lap.

When Arthur arrived with Leon they all sat down in Merlin's new room, with Merlin and Aithusa on the bed. Arthur looked at Merlin. "I'm sorry Merlin but we need to ask you lots of questions and I want you to answer truthfully. We need to sort out what is best for you, and to do that we need all the information we can gather. Do you understand?"

Merlin looked at Arthur "Off course I'm not stupid and my mother always told me speak the truth or not at all." Arthur looked at him wondering if the boy was being facetious and decided that he wasn't sure.

"Well can you tell us first whether your father's people were native to the planet?" Arthur said "Or when they arrived, it might help us to establish the facts"

"I will tell you what I know, my mother told me this once I reached my teens she thought it was right I should know. She also gave me father's books then. It seemed that centuries ago the Dracon's sun was beginning to die so they started to look for a new home. They sent out groups in every direction, several found places, but they were already inhabited. They would stay to see if it was suitable to share without causing problems. But after several of our lifetimes most beings decided whilst we had been useful they no longer needed us and persecuted us and the Dracon. So we continued to search. They keep in touch with each other. In my Grandfathers youth some landed on our planet, we don't give places names, the earth will name itself when ready. At first all was good there were no other people but other animals and retiles and food enough for small numbers. We don't take more than the land can give. More of my grandfather people joined until there were some hundred Dracon and forty people. Times were good and the group breed. Then in my father's young adulthood the others came. They were peaceful to start, but the dracon were cautious so didn't let their new neighbours realise the interdependence between Dracon and people." Merlin stopped and had a drink before continuing. Aithusa was asleep on his lap.

"Then the trouble started the others started to destroy the balance, taking more than they needed. My father people spoke to them and asked them to care for the planet. Relations became difficult. My father loved my mother and this was disproved of. The others wanted more land and wanted my father's people to move to the desert, we are nomads and have no fixed places moving with the seasons and to spare the land. They didn't understand our ways or abilities. They started to call us demons and monsters. One night father stayed with her and in the morning when he went back to his camp he found all dead. Men, women and children. Mother looked at them they had been poisoned they water tampered with. My father was the last living, the other's said it was a group that lived apart and blamed them. They then said they had found them guilty, killed them but offered no proof. Father stayed with mother they hand fasted in our religion, the others wouldn't allow mother to marry in her religion. As her father and mother were dead she was the only healer so they let them stay. But at the edge of the village. Father would still travel at times he found the staying hard. He also needed the dracon. He made the dracon swear not to let the others see them breath fire or seem too friendly he didn't want them hunted as well. Then one day father didn't come back. Mother said she went to find him, he was found with a broken neck at the base of a cliff. By now she had me growing in her, so she stayed with the others, knowing she wouldn't survive alone." Merlin started to look upset.

Gaius spoke up "Do you want to leave it for a bit?"

Merlin shock his head and continued "They hated me, no one of the children could play with me or speak to me. I was monster, devil sperm." Merlin took a deep breath "But I had my mum and the Dracon, but I had to be careful. I was not to be seen with Dracon or use my power. I helped mother we had little but were happy together. The Dracon got us meat and hid it for me to fetch, or we would have starved in the winters. One time when I was out with the dracon Mum got sick, no one would help her. I got back she was ill, I stayed with her she knew she was going to join father and told me to go, she feared for me. I stayed, she was my mother, she was all I had, but I packed bag with my important things and hid it ready to go. When Mother passed I carried her to where father was buried and placed her with him. I cried I was alone" by now Aithusa was trying to comfort Merlin who had tears running down his face. The small dracon was clearly picking up Merlin's distress.

"In the distance I could see our home burning they had destroyed it. I fell asleep on the grave…. I was woken later with rocks being thrown at me, all the others were there, even the children. I tried to get away ….. they said they would burn me alive. I had promised mother I would not let them see my powers…. but it hurt. The Kilgarrah the oldest Dracon swooped me up and took me to the hills. I hid in the cave but I didn't want to live alone. Two of the smaller Dracon got my bag and gave it to me." By now Merlin was shaking and very pale.

Arthur took pity on the boy. "One more thing for now, and then we will let you have a rest. How long ago did this happened?"

"Two moon cycles." Merlin muttered.

Leon looked at Merlin with pity "How old are you Merlin?"

"I have seen seventeen winters" by now Merlin was clearly very distressed and Aithusa was trying to wrap her wings around the young man's shaking body.

"That's enough Captain, The boy needs rest." Gaius leant over and gave the distressed Merlin a hypo spray of a sedative and the distress boy closed his eyes. "He's too weak to cope with this. Next time I insist on shorter sessions. Merlin seems to have been though too much for his mind to cope with to much"

"I agree doctor, but it does give us something to work on." The Captain looked down at Merlin with pity.

"Do you think he was telling the truth, or that he had been told the truth?" Leon asked.

"I met the settlers and yes I'm sorry to say I do." Arthur admitted "But what I need to know is about these powers he talks about. And what the connection with the dracons means, they seem to communicate and he certainly has some unexplained powers, how else did he get to the planet and back. I wish we could have stayed there longer, but orders are orders"

"When he wakes I will try to get him to answer some of your questions" Gaius told him "It might be easier on him then doing this"

Arthur he nodded "You can try but either way I need answers" then walked out his visit giving him more questions than answers.

Gwen covered Merlin up and gave the dracon a pat on the head. Then she turned to her boss "He's been through a lot, it must have been hard on him growing up like he did."

"If those settlers did cause the genocide of his father's people they need to be punished. But it will be Merlin's word against theirs unless the Captain can get back to the planet and find proof" the older man said thoughtfully.


	5. Chapter 5

As Gaius and Gwen got on with their duties one of their Nurses kept an eye on Merlin and was given instruction to call one of them if he woke. Nurse Mithian was a sensible and compassionate nurse and made sure that she kept a close eye on the sleeping pair. It was some three hours later when Merlin woke. He got out of his bed and made his way slowly to the door, as it opened Mithian looked up from her work and smiled at Merlin "I'll give Gaius a call, do you want a drink or something to eat?"

Merlin looked at this new person with mistrust and held on to the small dracon, clutching her to his chest. "Aithusa would like something please"

Mithian smiled and went and got the creature a bowl of water and some meat. "May I touch her?" she asked.

Merlin nodded and then muttered something to his small charge, who stuck her head out to be touched. "She's beautiful" Mithian told Merlin. At this Aithusa chirped at Merlin who looked at the nurse in surprise.

"She says so are you. She likes you" with that Merlin himself relaxed. Mithian called Gwen and told her Merlin was awake. Then she got some food and a drink for Merlin.

"Drink and eat, I know Dr Gaius said little and often" she smiled. Merlin took a bit of the sandwich and pulled a funny face

"Your food is strange" he told her but continued to eat it.

Once Gwen arrived she smiled at Merlin "Good to see you awake are you feeling any better?"

Merlin nodded "I'm sorry I was silly" he looked ashamed. "I am not a small child"

"Merlin no one thinks you are, you have been through so much, you are very brave" she told him.

"What else do you need to know?" he asked

"The Captain wants to know about your powers, so he can understand, also a bit more about your people's links with the dracons. But eat up and you can tell us in your own time." Gwen told him.

"I will tell him…..but can I see him alone? ….I'm not used to lots of people" Merlin spoke very hesitantly. "Kilgarrah said I was to tell him"

"Who is Kilgarrah?" Gwen asked cautiously.

"He is the oldest dracon on the planet, he has been linked to my family for generations, he is over two thousand years old in the dracon years" Merlin told her "He is wise, but speaks in riddles" Merlin gave a wry smile as Aithusa chirped "I know Aithusa I love him to"

Gwen looked astonished "You can understand each other?"

"Oh yes, Aithusa can't speak yet only in my mind, she's only a baby, but she will speak" Merlin gave the small creature a gentle hug.

Gwen went and called Arthur leaving Merlin with Mithian. Once Arthur answered her call she explained "Merlin is awake Sir, he has said he will speak to you, but can it be just you, I think he feels overwhelmed." she added.

Arthur replied "Tell him ….. no I tell you what I'll come and collect him and take him to my rooms, it's less clinical" Arthur turned to Leon "You have the helm Leon it seems I have an interesting talk to have with our guest. Please don't interrupt me unless it's urgent" with that Arthur left the bridge and made his way to sick bay. By the time he had got there Gaius was also there.

"I'll take Merlin to my rooms Doctor, it's less clinical, if that's alright with you?" Arthur asked.

"As long as you call me or Gwen if Merlin here gets upset." Gaius agreed. "Merlin is that alright with you?"

Merlin looked at Arthur with a hint of fear in his eyes "Can I bring Aithusa?" he asked.

"You may but I want your word you will behave and so will she" Arthur said sternly.

"You have my word" Merlin said very solemnly clearly meaning it.

"Come on then" Arthur led the way to the turbo lift and up to the next floor where his cabin was. It was the largest on the ship, as was to be expected, but even so it wasn't huge but as well as the sleeping quarters it did have a small sitting room came office. It was here that the sat down. Arthur made Merlin and himself a cup of tea "Here you are try this, I'm rather partial to my tea and pick some up whenever I get the chance. The crew tease me saying it's because I come from an Island on Earth called Britain."

Merlin had a sip "It's a bit like the drink mum makes….made with herbs" he looked sad once more.

Arthur looked at Merlin "I know this is hard for you but it is important I know about you so take your time."

"Gwen said you wanted to know about the Dracon and my powers." Merlin paused before continuing. "The Dracon and the people have been kin for thousands of years. We talk to each other and live in harmony. Some of the people are Draconlords, which means they can command Dracon's, but they prefer to ask. The two are parts of a whole and life in harmony. Dracons live for thousands of years and stay with the same families, the powers of the draconlord pass from father to son, at death. Each as its leader and they work together. The Dracons have powers as well as people. What some fear is that Dracon can breathe fire as well. Aithusa can't yet she is too young. Dracon can heal something's and have some other powers to … I'm sorry I don't know how to explain" Merlin stroked Aithusa. Before continuing.

"The people have different powers, some can see the future, some are great healers others can summon the elements. Some are born with powers and come into them at adulthood, some learn and very rarely some are born having powers from young age. We use our powers for good, if anyone uses their powers for bad or turn to dark powers they are punished."

Arthur was trying to understand but was puzzled "How did you get to the planet and back?" he asked

"I can go to my dracons, I think it and am there. To get to ship I used amulet. I have mine and the other, my father's drew me back. I can go where I know, strange places harder"

Arthur notice that when Merlin was under stress he spoke more like the other people from the planet. "I notice you normal speak better than the people who we met on the planet."

"Mother said they were lazy, to understand medicine I should speak properly and not miss out words. She would cuff me if I talked wrongly" Merlin explained. "She said the longer the others were away from Earth the worse they were getting"

"So you can transport yourself, what else can you do?" Arthur was curious

"I can control weather, make fire, make some things grow, I could kill or hurt but I won't ever. Life is sacred." Merlin looked at Arthur in earnest.

"How?" Arthur was now worried he couldn't picture the young man in front of him killing

"I could think it and it would happen. I can't explain, but I won't I promise my mother I never would. Even when they were hurting me I wouldn't. I wanted to when I found my mother sick and no one helping her, but I didn't. I don't even like to kill for food. I don't really know what I can do, I sometimes try something and it nearly always works. Kilgarrah says I am more powerful than any he has seen, but I have no one to teach me. I have my father books, they help" Merlin looked lost.

"Can you show me something, but don't damage the ship please or the crew"

Merlin looked round and then down at the dragon on his lap. He grinned and then his eyes flashed gold and the white dracon turned red. Then he let go of her and made her float round the room. Once she was back on his lap his eyes flashed again and she turn white again. Then Merlin made all the cushions float and dance in the air. As a final thing he whispered something into his hand and a flame appeared that turned into a small version of the Camelot. Arthur looked at it in wonder "How did you know what she looked like?" he demanded.

"I didn't I used your thoughts to make it, Oh don't worry I can't read minds but I can make things from thoughts. I did that when mum was alive so I could see what my father had looked like. I'm sorry I can't explain it" Merlin looked worried.

"Thank you Merlin, now I want you to promise not to use your powers unless you ask me first. This is a ship in space and it could be very dangerous"

"Not even a little bit" Merlin asked he looked worried.

"Not at all. Is that understood" Arthur said sternly "You can talk to Aithusa but that's it"

"I promise" Merlin said very reluctantly. He didn't look happy about it.

"I'm sorry Merlin but I must insist, I also want you to stay in sickbay unless you have either one of the officers or doctors with you. We are heading out to sort a problem out. Once that is done I will make sure you are dropped off at a base and looked after, we will also investigate what happened to your fathers people." He paused "One other thing do you know if any more of your people are still alive and where? We might be able to get you to them"

"No, I mean I know there are some but not where, Kilgarrah said they are very far away." He paused then realised what the Captain had said to him "You can't leave me! Kilgarrah says I must stay with you, we will need to be together to save the dracon and humans" Merlin was clearly very distressed at being told he would be dropped off.

"Merlin I can't keep you on board, and certainly not on the say so of an overgrown lizard, no matter how old he is. This is a fleet vessel we don't carry civilians. Don't worry I will make sure you are safe." Arthur looked at Merlin "I'm sorry"

"You must" Merlin said angrily.

"It's not open for discussion. Now I must get back on duty we will talk again and soon" Arthur stood up and took Merlin back to sickbay and then called a meeting of his senior officers where he detailed what Merlin had told him, he also showed them a recording of the tricks Merlin had performed, having secretly recorded them.

It was Gaius that pointed out "Did you notice Merlin's eyes went gold when he used his powers?"

Leon also commented "If that happened anyplace else you'd think it was magic tricks with mirrors and things"

"An astute observation Leon" Gaius said "You could imagine in some of the more primitive cultures people thinking it was magic" he sounded thoughtful "That would explain the historical references to witches and Warlocks in many cultures across many planets. If the Dracon and their people stayed on the planets for anytime."

"Are you calling that magic Gaius?" the Captain asked

"What else would you call it?" The doctor asked "Because that's what most people think of magic"

"Well whatever you want to call it I've told Merlin he's not to use it on board. I've also told him not to leave sick bay unless he has one of us with him, and I mean one of us here. Once we get back to a space station we'll drop him off but until then we keep an eye on him. Once he's well enough to leave sick bay I'll rethink but I don't want him loose on my ship. Now I suggest we get back to our posts. Freya can you carry on trying to decipher the marks on the discs. Oh and Merlin says he has some books of his father's see if you can look at them. Morgana can you work with Lance and see if you can find any record of the Dracon home planet. Leon I'd like you to get some of the anthropology team to find anything which might throw light on where the dracon and people have been. We might as well make use of the time until we arrive at our destination. Hopefully Gaius can work out how to get a DNA sample from the baby dracon."

With that the group set off to try to find something out about their passenger.


	6. Chapter 6

In the sick bay Merlin was getting restless he wasn't used to being in one room, in fact he wasn't used to being indoors at all. He might be weak but he wanted out. In the end Gwen took him for a walk round the ship with Aithusa, the tiny dragon wanted to fly and stretch her wings so Gwen asked for permission to take the pair to the hanger deck. Once there Aithusa flew around and enjoyed her freedom while Merlin and Gwen watched her fly round and round. After that Gwen took Merlin to the observation decks to look out at space. They were flying at warp speeds so it was a strange view but Merlin was happier knowing he had seen outside, no matter how strange that outside was.

She then took him round some of the corridors to walk and help strengthen his muscles. All in all he was out of the department for three hours and afterwards slept like a log. This was repeated daily with someone going with him each day. Freya went down to the sick bay to ask Merlin if she could see Merlin's fathers books to help her with the language, Merlin showed her one of the books allowed her to borrow one of the books but refused to let her see the other one. After copying it she took it back to him, although much was in the same form as the amulets some was in another type of writing. Merlin helped her with some but although he could read and write both languages he had difficulties translating it for her as he said the worlds didn't have matching meanings. That some dracon words just didn't have any meaning in any other form. None of the others seemed to be getting any further except for the anthropologists who seemed to be tracing stories of dracon like beasts and those with magic on hundreds of planets over the past five thousand years including Earth.

Then one morning the Captain was called to sick bay once more where he was greeted with both Gaius and Gwen with Merlin once more led being examined.

"What's the matter?" Arthur asked as he looked on.

"We don't know Sir" Gaius said "Mithian found him like this first thing, he's barely responsive and I think you should see this" Gaius lifted up one of Merlin's eyelids his normal blue eyes were a solid gold colour "and that's not all this is a sample of his blood" Gaius showed Arthur a vial of golden liquid with only the barest trace of red.

Arthur looked at it in surprise "Why?" he asked

"I don't know" admitted Gaius "I think Aithusa knows but of course she can't speak. Mithian's try to keep the poor creature calm."

With that Merlin started to thrash around and groaning. Arthur stepped closer and spoke to Merlin "Merlin can you tell us what's the matter with you"

Merlin opened his eyes, the three of them found the sight quite disturbing. Then Merlin tried to speak "p…pow…er no..t use"

Gaius had a sudden look of understanding "Merlin are you saying this is due to you not using your powers!"

Merlin opened his eyes once more and nodded "to….m..uch"

Gaius looked at the Captain "You must let him use them captain or he will die, his body can't take much more of this"

Arthur looked shocked "Why didn't he warn me?"

"Please Captain tell him he can use them" Gaius pleaded

Arthur went close to Merlin "Merlin can you do something safe, use your powers for something safe, can you hear me"

Merlin nodded and said something none of the three people around him understood as he finished his eyes opened as wide as he could and a gentle breeze flowed round the room. And everywhere it touched sparkled the lights went brighter and the doors opened and shut for several moments. Gradually Merlin breathing evened out and he appeared to be sleeping. Gaius lifted Merlin's eyelid and although there was still flecks of gold the blue was clearly visible again. "We can let him sleep now, but Sir you're going to have to let him use his powers"

"What worries me is what he did this time. Surely opening and closing a few doors and creating a breeze wasn't all he did." Arthur looked anxious "I need to get back to the bridge let me know when he wakes up I need to talk to him" Arthur left sickbay wondering what he would find on the rest of the ship. It wasn't until he got to the bridge that he had some idea of what had just occurred. He sat down in the captain's chair and put out a ship board announcement. "This is your Captain speaking if anyone notices anything strange occurring can they please inform the bridge, this is not a cause for concern"

Gwaine turned round "What sort of strange?" he asked.

"Merlin had a build-up of his powers and had to release them, he then fell into a deep sleep. Except for a slight breeze and a couple of doors opening we don't know what he did" Arthur explained.

There was an almost immediate answer to the captain's question when Gaius called through to the bridge "Problem solved Captain, I have found out where all that power went."

"And?" an impatient Arthur asked "I'm not in the mood for your guessing games Gaius"

"We have had calls from all our patients both in sick bay and from their cabins, every single ill or injured person on board has been cured. We have been checking and they seem to be in perfect health. Even Goddard's smashed arm I intended to continue to treat today, I have never been able to report a one hundred percent fit crew before. Not even a cold anywhere. His boy could put us all out of work. He's sleeping by the way, no sign of him waking" Gaius said.

"Thank you doctor, In that case just let me know when he wakes"

"We need to keep him, can't you get him on the crew?" Gwaine's voice came from his station.

"He is not military trained Gwaine, you know better than to ask" Arthur snapped.

It took Merlin two days before he woke, but as soon as he did the Captain kept his word and went to see the ships passenger, he thanked him for Heling the sick and injured among the crew before berating Merlin "Why didn't you tell me that not using your powers would make you ill?"

"You didn't ask" Merlin told him

"Well you had best use then for small things that won't hurt anyone, if you're not sure as the doctors before you do. Or me if I'm about. The doctors tell me you are putting on a bit of weight and improving but I would like you to stay were you are for now. We are reaching our destination and things might get dangerous so do as you are told and keep yourself and the dracon safe. Hopefully we won't be long before we can get you onto a space station." Arthur looked at Merlin "I know you feel you should be on board but I'm sorry it's not possible."

Merlin started at the captain but didn't comment other than to say. "Will that be all only Mithian was going to take us to the hanger deck so Aithusa can fly"

"No that's fine. I'm afraid you won't be able to go there tomorrow the deck will be in use so make the most of it" Arthur left Merlin and went back to his rooms to take some calls. He felt somehow guilty that he couldn't let Merlin have his wish and stay on board but the Camelot was not somewhere suitable for such a young and vulnerable boy or his 'pet'. He knew all the officers had been visiting Merlin and the boy had very quickly become a favourite with them, almost a younger sibling.

The next morning they arrived in orbit around a mining planet rich in delithium crystals. It had called for help when it had started to have far more 'accidents' in the lower mines. They were unexplained and appeared to involve some sort of interference with the miners. It was a hard and dangerous job normally and the men were getting jittery at the unexplained incidences and were refusing to enter one of the richest seams.

Arthur beamed down with Leon to talk to the Head Miner and find out just what was happening. It was soon clear to both men that they had a major problem and they beamed back up to arrange a full team to investigate. From now they would use shuttle craft for safety reasons. Where they were going had high levels of air pollution from the minerals being mined. This meant that the transporter use needed to be stopped to prevent the risk of the crews atoms being scattered into space.

The Captain assembled a landing party of himself, Lance, Elyan, Percy and four other security people Ensigns Green, Singh, Wan and Lock. They would be taking a shuttle down to the mine entrance in two hours. Elyan increased the shielding on the shuttle and Lance made sure they were enough of the special environment suits for the crew to protect them while they were down in the mine. Percy asked the Captain for permission to take at least two of the combat Phasers with them. Once the shuttle craft was full equipped the group set of for their trip planetside.


	7. Chapter 7

As the shuttle landed at the mine entrance the men exited, already in their full environmental suits, the suits were bulkier than the ones they normally wore due to the high levels of radiation from the mines. After speaking to the mine manager they went down to the area where they were having problems. Lance had rigged the scanners to take account of the radiation and went down further towards the face with two of the ensigns Green and Wan. He came back to report saying that the readings went off scale and he would need to run the results through the main ships computers to be able to make sense of the data. Arthur and Percy together with Singh and Lock were to question the miners.

It seemed that the accident rate at the face had soured with all sort of incidents occurring despite increased checks. The men seemed to be under the impression that sabotage lay behind most of the incidents. Arthur decided to stay on the planet with Eylan, Percy and Green, to continue their investigation while the others returned to the ship, so that Lance could run his results and correlate the results, then they would return to the surface.

Once the shuttle had left reports came through to say there had been a further accident in one of the lesser mines and eight men had been injured. Arthur arranged for Gwen to return with the others to help with the care of the growing number in the mines sickbay. This time a vital piece of machinery had overheated, something with the cut outs should be impossible. Elyan went to check on the machinery and reported that the cut outs should have worked. They were in place and worked when a test was run through them. "I'm sorry Captain it makes no sense there is no way that equipment should have overheated. Whatever it was had to be a deliberate act, just don't ask me how"

"I am Mister, that's your job, so figure it out before anyone else gets hurt. The Federation can't afford for this facility to shut down and without its workers being safe that's what I will have to do." Arthur informed him "The shuttle won't be back for at least three hours so get to it." Arthur knew Elyan was if not the very best engineer in the fleet he was in the top three. If he could work it out they would have to shut the mine down until a full investigation took place. Something that he was loathe to do.

Turning to Percy Arthur spoke once more "Come on big feller lets go and have another look." The two men headed back towards the area of the latest incident. The two men had a good look round, finding nothing they headed back towards the others. Arthur turned to Percy "Did you feel something down there?" he asked.

Percy looked and nodded "The was no signs on the scanners but I did feel a presence of some sort, like we were being watched" he agreed

"Keep your eyes out Percy I don't like this, someone is playing silly buggers and I won't see people hurt" Percy nodded and did just as he was asked as they made their way back to Elyan and the mine manager.

The shuttle arrived back on site before Elyan had found the answers that his captain wanted. Lance hadn't had much better luck. "I could find nothing to help us, but I have recalibrated our machines to look for other life forms, ones we have never come across before. If you remember The Enterprise came across the Horta a couple of years back. Although there have been no further findings of other life forms of that type they could be here. Our scanners now look for Horta types but there may be other none carbon based life forms"

"Good thinking Lance" Arthur admitted.

"I also with Leon's permission bring Lieutenant Bavaaok down with me, I thought we might have need of a telepath"

"Good idea, I'll go down with him and a couple of security to the face, when I went down with Percy earlier we felt a presence."

"Permission to go with you Sir, I've added something to the scanner and would like to try it out." The Science Officer asked

"By all means come on let's get the show on the road." With that the Captain, Science officer, the telepath, Percy and one Ensign Wan started back to the pit face.

Back on board the ship Merlin was spending as much time as he could on the observation deck, he loved looking out at the planet below or at the stars. His time on in the hanger was being restricted as it was in use. But Aithusa was getting one flight a day even if it was a short one, the baby dracon was proving a big hit with the crew as was Merlin. In fact most of the crew seemed to look on the pair as mascots and good luck charm. Like seafarers of old man and women who spent their lives in space held sometimes irrational superstitions and have a god luck totem was one most had in common. Merlin was stood looking out at the planet at the time Arthur went down for the second time to the site of the newest incident. He had his hand round his amulet that was hanging on a cord round his neck when he suddenly became very still. Mithian noticed as Merlin was normally a chatterbox.

The his eyes went wide and he looked at Mithian "The Captain is in danger he must go back" with that he ran towards the bridge and burst in before Mithian could stop him "Leon call the captain tell him to get back!" he shouted. "Please"

Leon looked at Merlin "What are you doing here?"

"The captain is in danger" Merlin shouted "Tell him"

"How do you know, what danger?" Leon demanded.

Merlin looked at the crew with anger and frustration "I'll do it myself" with that he disappeared.

Leon turned to Freya "Open a channel to the Captain" he demanded

"Pendragon here" came the voice

"Sir, Merlin burst onto the bridge to say you were in danger, he then disappeared I think he is coming to you, He was insistent you had to turn back"

Then Leon heard Merlin's voice "Get back Arthur please"

Arthur looked in amazement at the boy in front of him with no environmental suit on. He quickly spoke to the others "You heard him. Percy pick him up we need to get him out of here, he's not protected" As the men ran back the way they came Percy swooped Merlin up. They had hardly gone twenty yards when there was an explosion and the walls and ceiling started to collapse around them. They ran as hard as they could away from the falling rocks. But it was clear they weren't going to make it. Merlin had been slung over Percy's shoulder and as he saw the rocks falling he threw out his arms and his eyes glowed pure gold and an inviable shield of some sort formed over the group and the large rocks and debris bounced away. As the dust settled the group found they were blocked in back and front by rocks and they were some suspended over their heads. They were trapped but safe as long as the shield protected them remained. Arthur looked at Merlin in amazement. Percy had lowered Merlin to the ground but his eyes were still golden and his arms spread wide with his fingers outstretched. Leon could be heard shouting via Arthur's communication devise "What happening are you all right"

Arthur replied. "We're trapped but somehow Merlin's created a shield, I don't know how long he can hold it, the idiots got no protection either." He walked towards Merlin who was being held by Percy "Merlin how long can you keep this up?"

Merlin grimaced "N..ot s..ure" came the faint reply.

"Leon see if someone can get us out and quickly" Arthur said

"Will do but it will be sometime we can't use transporters" Leon didn't sound very optimistic.

The Miner leaders voice cut through "We will be with you in about an hour maybe half if we're really lucky"

"I don't think Merlin can hold it that long" Arthur swore

Merlin had clearly heard despite the strain of maintaining the shield "G..et close..hold ….hands" he muttered to Percy

"Sir he wants us to all hold hands" Percy told the captain

Arthur looked puzzled so Percy spoke once more "Perhaps it helps him focus Sir" he suggested.

"You heard him all of you get close and hold hands" Arthur ordered willing to help in any way he could. As they crouched holding hands Arthur felt a very strange sensation he closed his eyes and when he opened them he found he and all the others were crouched in the side room of the sick bay with Aithusa looking at them


	8. Chapter 8

The Captain was the first to realise where they were, he immediately sealed the door until their suits were decontaminated. Once he had called the bridge things were soon put in place. As the decontamination was started. The side rooms in sick bay were often used for this purpose as any sick or injured personnel were often beamed straight there in an emergency.

It was Lance who caught Merlin as he fell. He like the others had materialised crouched as he had been in the mine. But as soon as they arrived on the ship Merlin's legs ad buckled and if it hadn't been for the science officer he would have landed on the floor. Placing Merlin gently on the bed he immediately started to check the young man out. He had after all been exposed to the radiation in the mines, dilithiam crystals were not the best thing to be in contact with. But he had to contend with an anxious young Dracon who also wanted to check out Merlin.

As soon as the all clear was given the men removed their protective suits and unlocked the door to allow Dr Gaius into the room. He soon joined Lance to check over Merlin once he had established that everyone else was ok. "Go out and Mithian and Gwen will give you a check before you leave sick bay" he told them. "Lance could you please help me get Merlin on one of the examination tables"

Once Merlin was on the table and Gaius had chance to check him over he covered Merlin and gave him some medication before turning to the Captain.

"What happened exactly Arthur?" he asked "Merlin had been on the observation deck when he ran to the bridge saying you were in danger, the next thing anyone knew he disappeared."

Arthur snorted "Bloody idiot, he materialised in the mine just as the tunnel started to collapse, he used his powers to create some sort of barrier to protect us then asked us to hold hands the next thing we were here. The damn fool was unprotected" Arthur looked at the form on the table "Is he ok?"

"He's exhausted, all the power he used I suspect, he also has some radiation burns but not as extensive as I would have expected. I suspect that barrier he created stopped the radiation. I suspect he will sleep it off." Gaius looked at Merlin fondly. "He is a good boy, if rash"

As Gaius stopped speaking Aithusa flew up onto Merlin's chest and curled up on top of him, her wings out stretched as if protecting him. This brought a smile to both men's faces.

The Arthur looked at the doctor "Rash! He has no sense of self-preservation what's so ever. But we would have died without him. I wonder how he knew." Arthur was clearly puzzled.

"That's a question you will have to ask him once he wakes, but I insist he is allowed to sleep for now" Gaius glared at his Captain clearly expecting an argument.

"That's fine I have enough to do for now. I have an investigation to head up. Something is clearly going on in those mines and I intend to get to the bottom of it." With that the Captain left sick bay, all the others had already left and were waiting for instructions from their Captain. He sent them back down to the planet surface in a second shuttle craft to continue to investigate. He remained on board to start going through the data they had already collected.

Once the Captain had left Gaius went to try to get Aithusa of off Merlin's chest but she refused and even tried to bite him then he tried to push her off. "Well lie at her side then and let him breathe" he said in exasperation not expecting anything to happen. But to his surprise she did exactly that. "Oh! You understand me do you, that's good, then keep a close eye and let me know if he wakes" Gaius said to the small creature. More in hope than expectation.

Although both he and Gwen kept an eye on Merlin it was indeed Aithusa that came to make them aware he was awake. Aithusa got of Merlin and went to where Gaius and Gwen were sitting and jumped up on the table and sat in front of them and stared at Gaius. The older man looked at the dracon then across at Merlin. Seeing the young man's eye open he looked back at Aithusa in amazement "Oh thank you, you did understand did you" Then Gaius went across to Merlin and looked down at him "How are you my boy?"

"m' tired" came the murmur back.

"Yes I suppose you are, have a drink then sleep some more" he helped Merlin with a drink of water then covered Merlin back up "Get some more rest my boy, you did a good job today and save the Captain and the rest of them. I'm proud of you son" Gaius smiled gently at Merlin "The Captain will want to speak to you later, but sleep first."

It was twelve hours later before Gaius would let the Captain speak to his charge, and even then only for a short spell. Arthur sat next to Merlin who by now was back in his bed. "Thank you for what you did, you saved our lives, but how did you know we were in trouble?" he asked.

"Not sure, Kilgarrah said we shared a destiny, he said we were two sides of the same coin, not sure what he meant, he's a bit cryptic, comes from being so old I guess. But I seem to have a link with you. I know where you are and I guess my powers knew. I just had a feeling of dread" Merlin explained "Sorry I can't explain it, but I've never had anyone to explain things, I am the only one I know like me" he looked at Arthur and was clearly worried. "You don't think I'm a monster do you, like the others did." his voice went quiet and he seemed to curl up in himself.

Arthur looked in shock at the slender teenager in front of him "No Merlin I don't, you're not at monster. You saved our lives, we would all have died without you. You exposed yourself to radiation as well as the cave in for us, and after all you hardly know us." He paused before asking "Do you why the cave in happened, did you sense that?"

Merlin shook his head "No, but what is happeni9ng down there is wrong" he protested.

"What do you mean Merlin?" a mystified Arthur asked

"The balance, the planets balance is being destroyed." He said "The people are taking and destroying but they aren't giving anything back" Merlin looked bewildered "They are worse than the others"

"I's sorry Merlin I'm not sure I know what you mean." Arthur asked "Explain please"

"We, my father's people and the dracons we make sure if we take something from the land we give something back, to keep the balance. But they are ripping the planet apart but not giving back….it's wrong" Merlin looked distressed.

"It is a mining colony Merlin, the planet had no life forms and the federation needs the dilithiam crystals to power ships like these and other things that need power." Arthur explained.

"What happens when you have finished, when all these crystals have gone?" Merlin asked.

"Well the miners will move on to the next place" Arthur said.

"They don't help the planet recover? Heal the wounds" Merlin was scandalised

"Merlin it is an empty rock in space, it doesn't even have an atmosphere to speak of. Only the one that the miners have over there habitations and work space." Arthur tried to explain.

"So you move through space leaving destruction behind you? You don't care!" Merlin looked sad. "But the balance, we don't do that, you can't take without returning"

"I'm sorry Merlin but there is nothing we can do, if we mine on places with people or other life forms we make lakes and replant, but as I said it's a barren rock" Arthur decided to change to subject "Now how are you feeling are you better?"

Merlin realised what the Captain was doing and looked bitterly disappointed in someone he thought of as a hero figure. His month curled down and he sighed "M'ok" he said "But you're wrong, its wrong, that's why the planet is punishing you" Merlin closed his eyes and turned away.


	9. Chapter 9

Arthur walked out the room totally bemused by Merlin's attitude, surely the young man realised the need to keep people provided for. They couldn't all live as Merlin and his people had. As he walked round the corner he bumped into Gaius who looked at his Captain's face and asked "Is something the matter Arthur?"

"I've just had the strangest conversation with Merlin" the captain admitted.

"Well if causing a face like that you'd better tell me about it over a glass of Romulan Ale" Gaius looked at the clock "I think it's late enough, come on through to my office." The older man walked into his office and once Arthur was sat down Gaius shut the door and then got out two glasses and a bottle and poured two good measures.

Arthur grinned at the doctor "You'd better not let Gwaine know you have any of this"

"I have no intention of telling him, that boy drinks too much as it is." Gaius said with a fond smile.

Once Arthur had had a sip of the powerful alcohol he told Gaius what Merlin had said "surely he can't be that simple Gaius" added Arthur.

"You're forgetting something Arthur" Gaius looked at Arthur "Merlin was brought up on a planet with only a couple of hundred people, and his main influence was the dracon's and their belief in the balance of all things. Then he came here, where I don't suppose he's seen more than a few dozen people. He has no idea of the size of the federation and its peoples let alone the rest of the known galaxy's." He paused "I think perhaps we ought to educate him about the world he's entered into." Gaius looked towards the door and sighed "It will be hard for him Arthur, He's already told me that he is the only one of his kind for a great many light years, he said that he will never see any of his kind, as the dracons have told him it would take more than his lifetime for any of the others to reach him. That must be a lonely thought. Then to find his beliefs questioned….."

"But his mother was descended from Earth stock, he's not alone. We should be able to trace some relatives" Arthur argued.

"It won't be that easy Arthur, I hadn't told you yet, I was going to write my report tonight for the meeting tomorrow as I've only just got the results, but I suppose I just as well tell you know. It seems Merlin's father's race have some powerful genes. Merlin told me his father was a Draconlord, a leader of his people, he himself had all the powers of his people instead of just some of them. It seems that when these Draconlords mate their genes are so strong they overpower the mother's genes. He may have had an Earth mother but he has only a minute trace of his mother's genes. I should think it's to do with ensuring that there is a next Dragonlord. It's not cloning but as close a damn it"

"But that's impossible surely!" Arthur retorted

"Merlin's very existence says otherwise, we have met enough strange things in the universe to know anything is possible. Merlin's mother was more a host than a parent, I asked Merlin what he knew and he said that only a Draconlord can control the dracons, and they will only respond to a Draconlord, the two species may be very different but they have a symbiotic relationship. When I tested Aithusa's genes I found that Merlin had a nearer match with her than he has with the human side of his parentage"

Arthur was stunned by what he heard "Are you saying he's more Dracon than human!"

"I am, also for a species that had mastered space travel they have maintained a very strict moral code and totally believe in what they call the 'balance" and the need to maintain it. From what I gather they will never take from any planet more than they need and make sure that they always leave somewhere in a better state than they find it" Gaius smiled at his captains expression "We could learn a lot from them Arthur….so you can see why Merlin is so disturbed by the idea of a mining planet that is just abandoned once we've taken what we need."

The Captain was floored by what he had been told. But there was more to come as Gaius continued. "Merlin is still in mind contact with the dracons back on the planet, I believe that if anything happens to him they will perish. They need him as much as he needs them. I suspect that is why he has Aithusa with him. From what I can gather these Draconlords are attached to a group of Dracons and only that particular matching ensures the continuation, no other Draconlord can have the same relationship with the dracons of that group. They need each other to survive, that's a lot of pressure for one so young who has had no guidance from his father. Merlin told me that the sons only take the powers on their father's death"

Arthur poured himself another drink "That seems absurd, how sure are you about this? Or is it just what Merlin has told you?"

"Oh I've done some tests and although I can't prove it conclusively, I would need to kill either Merlin or the Dracons to do that, I'm as sure as I need to be" Gaius told his captain. "Certainly when Merlin has exhausted himself Aithusa's life readings change"

"Well….like you say we need to educate Merlin, for what good that will do if what you're saying is right. I don't think he will forgive me for the mines, he seems to think I can change anything I want!"

"He probably looks on you as the head of your group as he is the head of his. What will happen to him long term since all the people of his group were killed I don't know. I think he has a lonely life ahead of him." Gaius said. With that he picked up the bottle of ale "I think you've had enough of that Arthur, it won't help you think straight. I will present my findings at the departmental heads meeting tomorrow, but in the meantime our young friend is going to need all our support, to even exist in the world he's found himself in"

"Shit….. what a mess, the settlers have a lot to answer for and I intend to make sure they do, for Merlin's sake." Arthur said rubbing his fingers through his hair.

"Whatever you do won't bring them back Arthur, and if what he says is true we can't even get him to another group of his people, not in his lifetime anyway, maybe for his future generations but not for him" Gaius sounded incredibly sad and forlorn.

Arthur was off duty as he left sickbay but he knew he wouldn't get much rest, he had too much to think about, he was right but not for the reasons he thought. Arthur had been in his cabin for just twenty minutes when he was called to the bridge it seemed his men on the planet had found something.


	10. Chapter 10

It seemed it was not as Merlin had thought, the planet wasn't acting against the miners but there was an outside force attempting to force the miners off so they could get the crystals for themselves. The investigation had revealed sabotage and Percy and Lance were investigating further, but it looked like it might well be the Orion Syndicate's work. This made sense as they were known to be seeking a new source of dylithium. It took the men a further three days to find out what had been happening and secure the mine once more. By the time they had finished another ship had arrived to maintain the mining planets security.

Then once more the Camelot was contacted with another task and set off to the edge of federation space to investigate yet another unusual occurrence. Whilst they were travelling Arthur asked his officers if they could make time to visit Merlin and start on the programme that Gaius had planned to educate Merlin about the world he now found himself in.

Arthur had also arranged to Merlin to move out of sickbay and into quarters on the officer's deck. His health was slowly improving and both Gaius and Gwen felt it would benefit Merlin to be out of sickbay. Merlin knew the areas of the ship he could visit without escort and promised to keep to those unless one of the officers accompanied him. Merlin liked walking the corridors and met more of the crew but his favourite place remained the observation deck closely followed by the hanger deck where he took Aithusa for exercise. Aithusa was a firm favourite with the crew and was beginning to grow fast. Although Merlin reassured Arthur that she wouldn't grow too big for a long time. She was now the size of a large dog with a wing span of over two metres. The dracon stayed either with Merlin or in their cabin as agreed.

When allowed Merlin like to go to the bridge but this was a rare treat and he was only allowed there with the Captains permission, Gwaine was the one who normally asked and Merlin would stand and watch what was going on, he always left Aithusa in the cabin as the captain wasn't happy to have her on the bridge.

Morgana was drawn to the young man and spent many off duty hours with him. They looked through all the information that the anthropology team had collected and were making a chart of all the most likely planets that his people and the dracons had stayed on. One of the most clear was Earth in the period around the middle ages and in Chinese myths. The middle age ideas of the dragons and dragon lords as well as the witches and wizards were very similar to the Dracons and their humanoid companions. The history of persecution and final disappearance matched the tales Merlin knew from the history told him from Kilgarrah. The Chinese legend and myths also matched but there they seemed to have been revered more.

Morgana found herself drawn to the stories and had spent many hours trying to track other more recent accounts. But they stories had followed an arc across the galaxy and back out and no new accounts had emerged for many hundreds of years except for Merlin's group. Morgana was of the opinion that they were the only group remaining in know space, although the most recent seemed to come from within the Romulan Empire.

Gaius's investigations did show very faint genetic traces in several of the crew members. These included himself and Morgana. But he was sure they were very distant ancestors rather than recent. This amused Arthur who was Morgana's cousin. He teased her saying he had always thought she was a witch. Merlin was secretly trying to help her use any of her latent powers, but had up to now not been successful.

As Camelot neared her destination the Captain called a meeting of all the senior officers to brief them. "We have been asked to come to this border as there have been reports of a destructive force heading this way. As you know this is the edge of our explored region. What you don't know is that the three ships that have gone further into this area have not returned. Long range scans show a progressive and seemingly unnatural demise of a series of solar systems it is estimated that if this destruction isn't stopped it will enter Federation space in three months. We are to scan and send out drones and unmanned craft into the area and only go further if we can ascertain the cause. Otherwise we wait until it is closer then act directly." Arthur paused before he looked at his team. "We have faced many dangers together and I'm sure we will succeed in our mission. The Albion is on its way to join us but the Camelot will be the lead in this mission. The other constitution class ships are going to be the backup should we fail." Arthur paused letting the information sink in "I don't need to tell you how important this mission is, but for the moment this is to stay within this room. We are here on a long range scanning mission and to patrol the border is that clear"

Morgana spoke up "We might be able to use Merlin's powers, remember how he sensed danger before" she suggested.

Arthur looked daggers at her "No way, Merlin is a civilian he is not to be involved in this. I tried to get him removed but there wasn't time. It's bad enough he's here at all"

They went on to make plans about the drones they would send out and what else was to be done before going their separate ways. Arthur looked at Leon, they had been best friends for years and had gone through academy together. "We need to prepare for any eventuality it doesn't look good Leon"

"Arthur we have the best crew there is if anyone can do it they can, when are you going to tell the rest of the crew?" Leon hated keeping secrets from the crew.

"I'd tell them now if I could Leon, but headquarters have said no. I suspect the crew will figure it out before they agree. I want you to keep you ear to the ground and let me know what's going on. I will tell them and be damned if I think it's affecting moral. It's their lives at stake after all." Arthur patted his friend on the shoulder "Come on let's get to work."


	11. Chapter 11

The drones were sent out and all the recordings were being analysed to try and work out what was happening. All they could say for sure was whatever it was, was getting closer all the time. Hardly any of the science team were getting any sleep as they worked round the clock. Elyan in engineering was busy setting up the drones and sending them out. Three hadn't returned having gone into sensitive areas to see if the recordings would help identify what was going on. Morgana was attempting to plat the course but it was difficult. Although the destruction was getting closer to federation space it wasn't following a set course. The crew as their Captain had believed had soon worked out what was happening so as he had expected were throwing their all into their work. The Captain had made the announcement to the crew explaining the situation and as he suspected they reacted in a positive manner and increased their already busy workload.

The senior officers were having a meeting to discuss progress when Merlin walked in looking very distressed "Why did no one tell me?" he demanded.

Arthur looked at him amazed that he would burst into a secret meeting "Out!" he shouted "You shouldn't be here now get out and go back to your quarters and wait for me" the Captain was clearly very angry.

"No! I can help you" Merlin said but this only infuriated the captain more. Turning to his first officer he growled "Get him out of here and to the brig. Then post security on the door both here and outside his holding cell"

Leon got up and steered Merlin out of the room and arranged for the young man to go to the brig. Looking at the young man he said "Do as your asked Merlin, and no using your powers to go anywhere you hear me"

Merlin glowered at the first officer and didn't answer so Leon tried again "Don't push it Merlin, the captain has a lot of responsibilities and doesn't need you interfering. Just do as you're asked" with that he handed Merlin over to two security guards and went back to the meeting.

Merlin was put in one of the cells and the shield went up over the door. As the two men outside settled themselves in position Merlin continued to scowl "Stupid Prat!" he muttered under his breath. The sat there for a time then having made up his mind he gave a small smile. Lying down as if to sleep he closed his eyes.

In the meeting the officers were discussing their progress Lance explained that they were about to launch two more drone probes into the area that the calculated was the next area to be affected. "We may need to send manned probes in on the next set." He explained "I think we might be able to get more information if we saw it for ourselves. The affects are so variable I think a pair of eyes might be best. We would need to heavily shield the shuttle and make sure that the course was closely matched to keep a safe distance." He paused "I of course will go"

This immediately caused a great deal of discussion. The Captain as was his want said he would go "Sir with all respect I am a far better candidate, in fact I am the best choice on the ship, my knowledge and experience dictates it should be me." The science officer insisted.

Gwaine then added his name to the mix "I'll go with you as your navigator."

Morgana then joined in "No I will"

Gwaine looked at her "No you're needed here in case the ship needs you. From what we've seen our weapons are no use so I am best and navigation is my back up post"

Arthur looked at his crew, proud at the way they didn't back down from what could be a suicide mission. "Get the shuttle ready and I will consider who will go, but I am proud of you all" he turned to Gaius "Can you arrange for full monitoring of whoever we send. I want to know if I need to withdraw them"

Gaius nodded, he also realised what a hard discussion the captain would have to make. All the senior officers were good friends and to have to choose two to go into a situation they had an over fifty percent chance of not coming back from would be hard. But there was no one else he would rather have for his captain. The meeting broke up. As they were leaving the room Gaius waited behind to speak to Arthur "Don't be too hard on the boy Captain, he has little idea of protocols"

Arthur glared at the doctor "Don't make excuses for him Gaius, he knows enough not to burst into meetings. It's a difficult time for everyone without Merlin trying to inject his homespun wisdom on us. He will be lucky if I don't leave him in the brig for the duration."

With that Arthur headed to his cabin, he had a report to send before he went to the brig. He also had to make his mind up who to send in the manned probe. Arthurs report took longer than he had anticipated. It seemed the Security Council wanted to delay evacuation the nearest space stations and inhabited planet until the last possible moment. They were trying to get more ships into the area. Luckily the numbers of evacuees wasn't very large but even so it was a problem of logistics.

Once Arthur has cut the communication he headed to the hanger bay to see what progress was being made. It seemed it would be an hour before they were ready to launch. Elyan wanted to increase the shielding and add an extra power pack. The Captain then informed Lance and Gwaine that they would be the crew. He explained to Morgana that he needed her on board, as Gwaine had pointed out they would need her skills if they didn't succeed in finding out how to stop whatever it was. In the end by the time he remembered Merlin it was time for the launch, so the brig would have to wait until the shuttle was on it's way.

As soon as the shuttle was launched Arthur left the bridge and walked down to the brig. He wanted to get his talk with Merlin out of the way before Lance and Gwaine got anywhere near the target area. The two guards nodded as Arthur lowered the shield at the door and went in to the cell. Merlin was led on the cot facing away from the door. Arthur took a deep breath "Merlin" there was no reaction from the boy on the cot.

"Merlin!" Arthur said in a harsher tone "Sit up and look at me" when there was no movement he stepped forward and went to shake Merlin's shoulder. As he did his hand passed through Merlin's shoulder and touched the wall behind. As it did so the figure disappeared leaving an empty room. "Guards!" Arthur shouted "Just where is your prisoner" Arthur stormed passed the men and pressed the intercom and made a ship wide announcement "This is your captain speaking. A prisoner has escaped from the brig he is to be apprehended and brought to me. It is our passenger Merlin Emrys. Will Commander Strong report immediately to the brig"

Percy arrived within moments "Percy your men seemed to have not noticed Merlin escaping I want a full report, check the security recordings and report within the hour. I want the boy found"

Percy immediately took charge of the search for Merlin. He then turned to the two guards who looked stunned by what had happened. "I suggest you join in the search men, we will discuss your negligence later" Percy told them. He secretly though that if the young man hadn't wanted to stay anywhere he doubted anyone could make him but for now he had a job to do. "Go to his cabin and see if the dracon is there and let me know"

Percy knew that they had better find Merlin and soon. He didn't envy the young man, the Captain was a good man but he wasn't someone you wanted angry with you and boy was he angry.


	12. Chapter 12

Merlin had gone to see the Captain in good faith he really did have something important to tell the prat, but no he wouldn't listen and then he went and put him in a cell with guards. Did he really think that would stop him doing what was needed? Merlin brooded for a very short period and then did what he had always had to do, rely on himself. Merlin had spent most of his life being very self-sufficient, oh he had his mother but he had also always spent long periods with the dracons or by himself. Merlin was not one to let anyone tell him what to do, he never had and he would.

Once he had calmed down Merlin left an image of himself lying on the cot and transported himself to the observation deck. It was very familiar to him no and he knew its exact location. He had hoped he might be able to help from this location but he was having trouble. After a little while the door opened and Merlin had to hide as a couple of the crew came in, from the colour of their uniforms he knew they were from engineering and were obviously making the most from a short break in duty.

"Who do you think is going off in the shuttle Jo" one of the men asked the other.

"I don't know I'm just glad it's not me" the men sat and drank their drinks before one of them said "Come on we best get back they want to launch soon" the men left having not seen Merlin. But their conversation gave Merlin a further idea.

Before they left Lance and Gwaine headed to the shuttle deck and made sure they had everything they needed. It wasn't that they didn't trust Elyan's team but just years of such trips had made them careful. They double checked everything before calling up the captain and reporting that they were ready to go.

"Ready for launch Sir" Gwaine said in an unusual mood of respect. He might have a reputation to uphold but he knew when and where he needed to can it and follow protocol.

The Captain gave them permission to go and that was when he had headed down to the brig. The search revealed nothing accept that Aithusa was in Merlin's cabin alone. A though search was underway but Arthur had a horrible feeling that something had happened that he was going to have trouble getting over. He was worried about Merlin, not that he would have admitted it. He also wouldn't have admitted just how much Merlin had managed to get under his skin. The young man's plight had touched something that Arthur usually managed to keep well hidden. He couldn't afford a sentimental nature not in his job, when at any time he might have to order his crew to their deaths. But Merlin wasn't crew he was a civilian.

Two hours later they still hadn't found the boy when the captain's worse fears were realised, but in a way he hadn't expected. Lance and Gwaine had started to get close to the area of concern and were in contact with the bridge when Arthur heard Gwaine swear "Were the f..k did you come from" he demanded. Lance turned round and was also surprised.

"Captain we have a passenger" came Lance's calm voice over the connection. Somehow we seem to have gained a stowaway Merlin Emrys is here with us"

Arthur felt fear grip his gut "How did he get on board I thought the shuttle was checked before take-off"

"It was Captain we also checked everything" Gwaine's was clearly upset by the tone of his voice. "What the hell are you here for?" he demanded of Merlin.

Merlin grinned at the irate officers in front of him. "I tried to tell you all, so I came anyway. I heard them in my head, they were speaking to me but I couldn't make them hear me"

Arthur took a deep breath and trying to keep calm asked "Merlin who was speaking to you?"

"I don't know but they are speaking the dracon tongue, they kept asking if anyone could hear them, I can hear them now" came the reply.

Merlin looked out into space there was nothing unusual in sight but the suddenly stiffed and then as Lance and Gwaine watched Merlin's eyes went gold and the boy's body went rigid.

Lance reach towards Merlin and touched him but the young man didn't react to him at all. "Captain Merlin's eyes have gone totally gold and he is rigid and unresponsive. He's just staring out of the front of the shuttle."

"I'm getting nothing on any of the recorders Sir and there's nothing visible either" Gwaine told his captain.

"Talk to him try to get a reaction, anything" Arthur told his men.

Both Gwaine and Lance tried everything they could but got nowhere "We can't even get him to move" Lance told his captain.

Gwaine's voice cut across Lances words "How about his dracon? Is she doing anything?"

"Good point Gwaine" Arthur flicked a switch on his chair "Gaius, can you bring Aithusa to the bridge immediately" as they waited the two men in the shuttle continued to try to get a response from Merlin.

Freya's voice caught Arthur's attention. "I haven't been able to pick anything up on any wave length sir. Shall I call Lieutenant Bovaaok to the bridge if Merlin was picking something up a telepath might be able to"

"Good thinking Freya call him immediately" Arthur said kicking himself for not being the one to come up with the suggestion, but that's why he had such a good crew they were all capable of thinking for themselves.

.


	13. Chapter 13

Gaius arrived with Aithusa, the dracon didn't seem at all upset and was looking around with interest before deciding that she wanted to sit by Morgana. She was looking at the screen at space but other than that did nothing, Morgana scratched behind her ears absentmindedly but otherwise concentrated on her job. The baby dracon seemed to have developed a liking for both Gaius and Morgana which the doctor put down to the faint trace of the genes in their makeup.

The next to arrive was Lieutenant Bavaaok. "Lieutenant Do you get any sense of any sort of presence out there? Only it seems Merlin decided to go with the shuttle and he seems to be in some sort of contact with something. I don't want you take the risk of trying to establish anything at the moment"

The Lieutenant looked at the Captain in surprise before staring ahead briefly. The Lieutenant was from a species who used mind communication more that verbal and most ships now carried at least on telepath on board. Over recent years as the federation had expanded they had proved their worth over and over. Accept for a more reddish tinge to their skin and being more robustly built they were very similar to the other humanoids on the ship.

"No Sir, nothing do you want me to try to establish contact? By going deeper I may get something" came the softly spoken reply. For such a chunky built person he had a surprisingly soft voice.

"Not at the moment" Arthur told him then speaking to the shuttle once more "Any reaction yet?"

"Nothing Sir, do you want us to continue or return?" Lance asked the Captain "We have quite a bit of information already"

"Come back but watch Merlin as you do so. I want to know the minute he reacts" Arthur promised himself he would tear a strip of the idiot when he got his hands on him. He didn't have to wait long before Gwaine spoke.

"Merlin's eyes are changing colour Sir" then Arthur heard noises and Gwaine came back on "He went limp I have him down on a chair now"

"Is he able to talk Gwaine?"

Gwaine was trying to rouse the limp boy but getting nowhere "No Sir, he has a good pulse and his colour is good but he seems to be sleeping"

Gaius butted in "His Pulse should be much higher than ours Gwaine his is normally about 110."

Gwaine went silent and then came back "Its 78"

"See if you can lie him down, and keep checking he may be going into shock" Gaius told the commander.

"Lance head back as quickly as you can Gaius will meet you in the shuttle bay" Arthur ordered "That bloody idiot why can't he do as he's told"

Morgana turned round "I suspect it's because he's had to be so self-reliant. He's clearly not used to having much help in his life, he did after all try to speak to you .. Sir" the Sir was clearly an afterthought.

Arthur did have the grace to look slightly guilty as he turned to Gaius "Take the dracon with you, Merlin seems to like her close. I will meet you in sickbay once he's there."

Arthur walked and stood next to Morgana and for her ears said "It's clear that you think I was wrong, but remember this is a fleet vessel and not a pleasure cruise. Maybe I should have listened to the boy but I had clearly told him the areas he wasn't permitted in."

Morgana looked up she was still clearly defiant "Yes Sir!" then she gave the captain a smile "But you know I'm right Sir"

"Don't get to fond of him Morgana as soon as I can he's being left behind on a base" he warned "This isn't the place for him" With that the Captain left the bridge to Leon and made his way to sick bay. Merlin had yet to arrive but Gwen and Mithian were getting ready for his arrival as soon as news came that the scuttle was docking Mithian left with the gurney to help bring Merlin for treatment. Arthur kept well back so not to get in the way.

Despite his words on the bridge he was very worried for Merlin and even admitted to himself if no one else that he had got very fond of Merlin and would love to keep him on board. He had already decided to make sure the boy was found a good home and accepted into Starfleet academy if that's what Merlin wanted. Or even the diplomatic core. But whatever Merlin wanted Arthur would keep in touch and fund his plans. He would even make sure that Aithusa was returned to his kind if she couldn't stay with Merlin.

Merlin was just waking as he was wheeled into sick bay but Gaius made sure he was fit to talk before he let the captain near him. But once he was happy he shooed everyone else out the room and left the two of them together. Arthur hadn't fooled Gaius he knew that Arthur wouldn't do anything to harm the boys welfare.

Arthur stood by the examination table his hands clasped behind his back, he glared down at Merlin and waited before speaking "What fool trick was that?"

"I tried to tell you and you threw me in jail!" Merlin said defiantly "I only wanted to help"

"So stowing away on the shuttle craft and causing their mission to be aborted was helping was it!" Arthur glared at Merlin "That makes a lot of sense"

"I could hear them, but they couldn't hear me. I need to get out the ship…. And it worked!" Merlin said "I talked to them"

Arthur leaned forward now very interested "Who and what are they and what do they want?" he snapped

"They are … the remains of a galaxy that reached the end and was …. Fading" Merlin was clearly struggling to find the words he wanted. "They changed their form so they could travel, they were highly developed and here from many planets, they are looking for a new home"

Arthur leant forward "Why are they destroying solar systems? Did you find out?"

Merlin looked at Arthur a look of disgust on his face "They are doing the same as you do! Yet you condemn them. I told them they were destroying the balance. They said they need fuel and the suns where giving them what they needed. They said none of the planets had advanced life, just like you and the mines!"

That made Arthur step back and think. "But some of the planets had life they sent out distress signals!"

"They said they were…..lower forms… they had to have energy or they would die" Merlin was clearly distressed "They didn't listen to me! But they did say that a millennia ago they avoided a place that had my kind, they wouldn't kill them. But if others were…aggressive and a danger, they did if they had to. They said the dracon were good and caused no harm" Merlin's eyes started to droop "I asked them to stop, that people lived where they were going but they want to live and will die if they stop"

"Thank you Merlin, rest now and we'll talk later" Arthur watched as Merlin's eyes shut. He went to the intercom and called the senior officers to a meeting. As Gaius came out Arthur turned and said "I would like you and Gwen there will Merlin be alright with Mithian?"

Gaius looked at the readings above Merlin's head "He should be she can call us if needed"

Once everyone had arrived Arthur told them what Merlin had said "So it seems we are dealing with advanced life forms looking for a new home, and who are willing to destroy lesser people to travel."

Morgana was the first to speak "Yet Merlin said they had let some of his people live, from what we have seen and what are research shows is that although the dracon can travel through space they live at a fairly primitive level. So I wonder what their definition of lower forms is?"

"A good point, from what Merlin told me aggression was one of the criteria for destruction, which seems strange as they are clearly destructive" Arthur pointed out. "Once Merlin is awake I will ask him if he can contact them again"

After lowering his head to think and pinching the top of his nose, a gesture all the officers were familiar with the captain turned to the communications officer "in the meantime can you try to communicate with them using what we know of the dracon tongue? Even if it is just basic stuff"

"I can try Sir but we need to be careful the language is very complex and the written is different than the verbal. We haven't really got much of a handle on it. I wouldn't want to send out the wrong signals. Even with Science department help and using all of communications and linguistics we can only just about say hello with any degree of certainty. It might be safer to wait for Merlin, to make it harder Merlin speaks both of the two languages both humanoid and dracon but does it so naturally that it make it difficult for him to separate the two. What you have to remember is that accept for his mother who was not of the same race Merlin had only the dracons to speak to. He told me they helped him to keep the language alive, but I think it got muddled over the year "

Arthur rolled his eyes in frustration "So what your saying is we need Merlin"

"Yes unless you know some way to get Aithusa to speak to them" Freya smiled "But she is a child"


	14. Chapter 14

The Captain looked at Freya do what you can but don't send out anything unless you're sure of what you are saying. I want everyone you can to work on this, it takes priority over anything else"

He turned to Morgana "Do we know anything about the systems that have been destroyed, even rumours would be a starting point. We need to try to work out just what these beings think is a good reason for leaving places alone and why they choose to destroy others." Then looking at Elyan and Lance he continued "and you two I want to know how they're using the suns energy and would something else work for them, it would be nice if we could work out how they move, we haven't even worked out what they look like yet for heaven's sake. Did you get any ideas when you were out there either of you" he glared at Gwaine and Lance.

Gwaine looked at Arthur "Nope, we could see a haze but it didn't appear to have substance, it wasn't even a mist or cloud just a presence, a shift in the background. Let me run it for you" with that he projected the film on the main screen.

Lance spoke "It isn't even like a clocking devise, it has no real readings to it, like Gwaine said just a shift. I've got the computer running it and will let you know what if anything it come up with"

"Yet it can communicate even if we only have one person that can speak its language" Arthur grimaced "This is giving me a headache, it all keeps coming back to an underage civilian to talk to this thing!"

"It looks that way Arthur" Leon said "But at least that gives us a chance we wouldn't have otherwise, and a starting point to work on" Leon was as always the pragmatist.

"I'm going to see if Merlin is awake yet, the one thing we don't have is time" Arthur stood up "If anyone comes up with anything, anything at all, call me"

It was at times like these that Arthur hated his job, if he failed then thousands if not millions of beings would die. Did that justify using a civilian to do his dirty work? An underage and naive one at that? The trouble is he knew he had no choice.

As the captain walked into sick bay he could hear Merlin's voice shouting at Gaius. He walked in and looked at the pair of them "Shut up the pair of you! Gaius give me something for a headache."

Gaius handed him a cup a water. "What's this going to do? Arthur asked exasperatedly.

"I suspect your headache is due to the fact that you haven't drank anything for hours and are dehydrated, drink it, eat something and if you still have a headache in an hour come back. I won't medicate for stupidity" Gaius told the captain.

Arthur drank the water and then turned to Gaius "In that case why are you treating him, he has to be the most stupid, idiotic person on board right now" he glared at Merlin.

"Oh I haven't forgotten you disobeyed orders and broke out of the brig, not to mention stowing away on a shuttle" he told the teenager

"Look you clotpole of I haven't you would know about them would you, you could at least say thank you" Merlin shouted back "I was trying to help"

Arthur took a deep breath his was getting them nowhere "Alright thank you, but please don't go off by yourself again like that. Now is there anything else you can tell me. Like what these beings are exactly."

Merlin looked at Arthur in amazement "Who are you and where is the Captain!"

Gaius grinned as Arthur glared at Merlin once more "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"You said thank you! I didn't think you knew how" Merlin grinned. "and since you did I will talk to you, but get something to eat like the doctor told you"

"I haven't got the time" Arthur told him "If we don't solve this millions will die!"

Merlin went across to the dispenser on the wall and came back with a couple of sandwiches and a cup of tea "Here eat while I talk" he said with a grin dragging Arthur to a chair then he sat down on the side of the examination table and grinned "Eat" he said then he looked at Arthur before continuing "You asked me what they looked like, well I could see what they used to look like, they looked like us but smaller, half our size. But I knew that was how they remembered themselves, but to leave their home they had to change, what's left is the insides" he frowned not sure what to say next.

Arthur took another bite of his sandwich and waited

"Not their guts and stuff but what's up here" Merlin pointed to his head "and in here" he pointed to his heart. "Do you know what I mean?"

Arthur frowned "You mean their essence, what made them who they were?"

"Yes that's exactly it. They don't have bodies"

"So why do they need the energy, solar energy? And how do they use it?" Arthur said to himself

"I don't know you're the brains, well I thought you were after all you are the Captain." Merlin said cheekily. "I could ask um if you like"

Arthur ignore that for now and asked "Do you know how they decide who to let die and who they let live. I mean they seem to change course quite a bit. You said about they killed aggressive ones, aggressive to who?"

"They don't see it as killing people but more like not saving them." Merlin said then thinking for a moment "I think they meant dangerous to others like …. The others were, not caring and self-centred not caring about the balance, that they would damage others if they spread." Then Merlin looked like he finally understood "Like the germs Gaius was telling me about. They would spread and take and hurt and destroy"

Arthur looked at Merlin with surprise "So they see themselves a moral judges"

"They want to live and leave the best and take the worst" Merlin said.

Arthur needed to think this through but he needed one more piece of information "So you have no idea how they use the energy they collect?"

"No but as I said I could ask them" Merlin offered.

"Thank you Merlin is there anything else you can tell me?"

"I don't think so, I don't think they see themselves as bad, just surviving but I think they're a bit lost, a bit like me nowhere to go and no one who wants them" At that moment the young man sounded so lost and small that Arthur wanted to hug him and tell him he was wanted and he would look after him, but he realised he couldn't give that hope not yet he had too much to think about and decide.


	15. Chapter 15

Arthur passed on the extra information to his senior officers and then gave a lot of thought over what to do next. But it kept coming back to the fact that Merlin seemed to be their only option, or only one in the time frame they had. What worried him slightly was Merlin's views on the 'balance', and how that might affect his ability to help them. After all Merlin's own views seemed to match those of the threat. Could he trust Merlin? after all he knew very little about him, except that all the other people on his home planet seemed to think him a threat to their lives. His gut instinct as to trust Merlin, but could he risk so much on a gut reaction?

In the short term they had no choice they needed to find out more about the threat and Merlin could do that and seemed happy to help them. Arthur decided to give his teams a few more hours and then ask Merlin to help them. Perhaps that way they could figure out how to communicate without him.

Merlin meanwhile was puzzled, he had talked to the things out in space and they said that they had met some of his kind, but when asked seemed very vague. He wasn't sure if that was because they were just one of so many beings they had met or because they were hiding something from him. There was no way he would ley them hurt his new friends, they had been kind to him, kinder than anyone besides his mother and the dracons had ever been.

Merlin knew that Arthur was wary and even guessed why, he might be young but he wasn't daft. Perhaps if he found out more then he could help Arthur and the crew do what they needed. Discussion made Merlin, made his way to the hanger deck, using his powers to avoid the crew. Once on the hanger deck he made his way to the shuttle craft and went inside. He was shaking he knew that Arthur would be mad with him but he had no idea what else he could do. Merlin sat and looked at all the controls, when they had taken off before he had watched from his hiding place and thought he knew what to do, the only thing he didn't know was how to open the big doors and how to make sure no one got hurt as the air left the area. But that was soon settled. He wouldn't have taken the shuttle but knew enough to understand he couldn't breathe in space.

On the bridge Arthur was with Freya discussing the progress of the translation of the dracon language. When his engineers voice came over the speakers.

"Captain one of the shuttle craft has just disappeared into thin air! One of the men was just going to refuel her in case you wanted her to go out again when she just vanished"

Arthur turned to Freya "Establish contact with the shuttle" then he turned to Gwaine "track and prepare to attach tractor beams to the shuttle"

Gwaine looked at his instruments "She's out of beam range Sir, in fact she's at the same spot as Lance and I go to earlier"

"Damn that boy!" Arthur hit his hand on his arm of his chair,

"Contact Sir" came Freya's voice

"Hello Arthur" Merlin's voice came over the air "I am going to ask what you wanted to know, you can trust me"

"Can't you for once just do as you're told and stop running off. Do you know how dangerous it is out there? No however you got there get back here now!" the Captain ordered.

"You never told me to do anything! And I took one of your little ships to keep me safe. I'm not coming back till I've got your answers I can help I know I can like I said trust me." with that the communication was cut.

Arthur swore some more before ordering the Camelot to move closer "Let me know when were in tractor beam range"

"Lance I want life readings from the shuttle, we need to have some idea what the idiot is doing. Freya keep trying to establish contact with the shuttle"

Arthur turned to Gwaine once more "Please tell me he has the shields up on the shuttle"

"No Sir, he hasn't even got it running he's sitting dead, I think he just got in it and sent it there, the life support and shielding is only on emergency only". Gwaine was concerned.

"Elyan can you get anything up remotely, we've got to try to protect the idiot while we get him back" Arthur snapped. "Has the boy no sense at all?"

"Working on it Sir" Elyan's concerned voice came from his console.

Arthur pressed the switch on the arm of his command chair "Lieutenant Bavaaok to the bridge" a few moments later the Lieutenant arrived.

"Bavaaok can you contact Merlin Emrys for me and get him to establish radio contact with use please. He's on the shuttle" Arthur asked, his head ache was back with a vengeance.

The Lieutenant immediately tried to do as asked "Sorry Sir Mr Emrys appears to be communication with something else I can't break through. Whatever it is too powerful"

"Can you listen in?"

"Sir that is against all ethical and legal barriers!" the Lieutenant looked scandalised.

"Lieutenant the boy out there has no idea what he's got himself involved in, he is underage and a simple lad who will kill himself and us if we're not careful, I hardly think your ethical and legal barriers apply in this case" Arthur continued "He's gone out there with minimal shields and life support to speak to an alien force who are going through space destroying as they go so JUST TRY!"

The Lieutenant went back into a trance, he soon had a film of sweat on his forehead from the effort then he opened his eyes and looked at the Captain

"Well did you manage it?" Arthur demanded.

"Yes Sir" the Lieutenant looked embarrassed "He gave me a message for you"

"Well let's hear it word for word" Arthur demanded

"Yes Sir" the telepath went even redder than normal "His exact words Sir?"

Arthur just glared at his subordinate and the man said "Tell the clotpole to wait I'm busy"

A partially suppressed laugh came from both Gwaine and Morgana as Arthur glared at them all. "Thank you Lieutenant, stay on the bridge in case he contacts you"


	16. Chapter 16

Once Merlin had realised he had no idea how to get the box he was in out into space the way that Gwaine and Lance had done he decided he would do it his way and concentrating transported to where he had been, before when he had spoken to the things. It was so much easier when he had been somewhere before as he knew just where to go. He then concentrated on finding them once more, he opened his mind and waited for them to arrive, it didn't take long before they arrived and he felt his mind tickle.

Before he had chance to speak to them the captains voice came over the box and told him off for leaving. Silly man he was trying to help them. So instead of arguing he stopped the voice and concentrated once more. The things, as he had named them, asked him why he had left and he explained that the Captain of the ship hadn't understood and wanted him back. He then tried to ask them how they collected and used the energy they got from the suns, but either he wasn't asking properly or they didn't want to tell him. He felt them going into his mind and taking things without asking. He shouted at them in his head. "Stop that that's not nice, talk to me properly or I won't let you in!"

They seemed to understand and stopped. He then asked them again how they used the energy they collected and a voice told him

"We use it to survive it goes into us and feeds us. We were dying and found if we got near the suns we passed we could collect the energy, but we don't know how. But them we realised that we took all the energy, so tried to pick where we went. But we know we must follow this route."

Merlin was puzzled "What route and how do you know?" he asked them.

"So many questions little one, why so many questions" They sounded to him like they thought he was beneath them.

Merlin thought before answering "Because you are upsetting the balance, if I know how and why, the men on the ship might be able to help you. You get help and don't kill them" There was silence to a moment.

Then Merlin felt a different person try to get into his brain, it was from the ship. He tried to push it away but it came back asking him to put the radio on an order from the captain. He got cross and cut him off after sending a message, didn't the idiot know he was trying to help, and Arthur had the nerve to call him an idiot!

Merlin then decided to ask about his people and how they knew them and he got an answer he hadn't been expecting. "Some of them were with us when we started our travels, they are still here, but much changed as we all are." The things sounded sad.

He asked them "Why have they changed? and can I speak to them please"

The answer came back even stranger "We all had to change, they were no different, our bodies won't last in space, and theirs would if they went from place to place but they wanted to stay with us. The dracon were going to call all of their kind to live with them before our sun died."

Then a very deep vice echoed through his brain "I was once a dracon, I thought all my kind gone, yet I sense in you that they are not, although you may be the last of the people."

Merlin sent his thoughts to the deep voice "There are many dracon ahead as many as thirty, and a baby close by in the ship I came from. I thought there were more of my people far away, farther than I can travel"

The deeper voice spoke once more "That may be so, we do not know, bring the little one closer so we can sense her"

For some reason Merlin felt that might be a bad idea "I think not, not until I know what you wish to do, and how we can save you and ourselves" Merlin had the feeling they didn't like his answer "I will stop now and go back, can we talk again. Can you talk to me when I am in the ship?"

"No little one, the case that protects the beings inside stops us, the case of this box is thinner, bring the little one to us now and we will help you, send a massage and have her come" the voice was very insistent and no longer the deeper voice but the first one.

Merlin no longer felt comfortable with what was happening, he needed to think without the things in his head, but one thing he did know without doubt was that they weren't getting their hands on Aithusa. Carefully shielding part of his mind he sent a message back to the telepath before anyone could stop him.

"Don't let them have Aithusa whatever they say" Merlin they felt the first thing in his head

"You should not have done that little one, we wish to speak to the dracon. Now we must punish you" Fear crept into Merlin as he wondered what they planned to do, he felt a malevolent pressure in his head and then pain, so much pain and then blackness.

Back on the bridge Lieutenant Bavaaok got Merlin's message and turned to Arthur "Captain, a message..Don't let then have Aithusa no matter what they say"

Arthur looked at the telepath "Anymore?"

"No Sir I will try to contact him" with that Bavaaok concentrated then screamed and collapsed onto the ground. He stopped and led there holding his head, as the Captain bent down.

"What happened?" he asked the fallen man

"Pain Sir, such pain, I think it was something the boy was enduring, I got a feeling it was a punishment"

"What for?" Arthur demanded

"For telling us not to send the dracon Sir?" Leon suggested.

"Try to get radio contact Freya and keep trying" Arthur shouted then turning to Gwaine and Morgana "See if there is any way of getting a fix on Merlin, it's a long shot but if the shuttle hasn't got full screens up we may be able to grab him." Then to Elyan "Can you route any more power to the transporters?"

Elyan thought for a moment "We might be able to use the system in the shuttle bay that we use for large objects and get more range but we wouldn't be able to bring the shuttle back" he turned to Lance "Can you help me with the programming"

Arthur turned to Freya once more "Get Percy to stay with Aithusa and not to let her out of his sight, I don't know what they want her for but if Merlin got hurt sending us the message it must be important."

There was a flurry of activity as everyone tried to work out how to bring Merlin back. Gwen had arrived on the bridge and was check out the telepath, she removed him down to sick bay and let the others do their work.


	17. Chapter 17

When Percy got to Aithusa she was clearly distresses sensing there was something wrong with Merlin. The big security guard did his best to comfort her talking to her in a calm manner. He wasn't sure if she understood him but like many on the ship he had taken a real liking to their passengers.

Meanwhile Elyan and Lance were working as fast as they could trying to convert the large transporter to a new purpose while Arthur paced up and down, he hated feeling so helpless, yet he knew there was little he could do. He had already alerted Gaius that they had a problem, and was now glaring at the screen in front of him as if merely looking could somehow help. He could hear Freya trying to establish contact but getting nowhere, her fingers flying over her consol.

In the shuttle craft Merlin was lying on the floor unconscious. As he led there something started to happen. Some of the field that the things were in seemed to separate and a gaseous cloud passed through the hull and covered Merlin then slowly changed colour before disappearing.

On the ship Arthur and Morgana both noticed that distortion in space split and some going closer to the shuttle. "Track that Morgana and get any readings you can"

At that moment Percy called through to the bridge "I don't know what's happening Sir but the little beast is determined to get up to the bridge"

"Let her, but come as well" Arthur told him. Was this something to so with what was happening at the shuttle he wondered, as he sat down wearily in the command chair. He hated not being in control and yet knew he had very little he could do at present, the situation needed to unfold.

Aithusa came in followed by Percy, she went straight to Morgana and stared at her. The navigator turned at looked at the dracon and smiled then looked up at her Captain in wonder "Sir she talking to me!" Morgana paused clearly listening. "She says that Merlin must be taken from the box and that we must use his … I think she means those discs. Where is the one Lance has?"

Leon went to Lance's station and picked up the disc from where the science officer had put it for safe keeping. "What do we do?" he asked

"Please give it to me" Morgana held out her hand, at the same time looking at the Captain for permission.

"Go ahead, we have no other ideas" Arthur was puzzled but willing to try anything.

Leon handed Morgana the disc and she held it in her hand and then to every one's surprise she started to talk in something that sounded like the dracon language. The disc briefly glowed as did both Morgana and Aithusa's eyes and a figure started to form on the deck by the side of Morgana.

"Gaius to the bridge emergency" Arthur sent a command via his chair. As Merlin started to form.

Aithusa let out a squeal and huddled over the still teenager, while Morgana looked on in amazement "What happened? How did I do that? I don't even l know what I was saying"

"It doesn't matter for now you did. Gwaine full shields in case whatever is out there didn't like it" Arthur shouted as he got down beside Merlin as the doors slide open and Gaius arrived with a stretcher that floated behind him. "Hurry Gaius he doesn't look good"

Gaius quickly assessed Merlin and Percy helped him lift the skinny frame onto the trolley. At a flip of a switch as full life support dome went over the still figure. "It's not good Arthur, how did you get him back!"

"Morgana found she could speak dracon and with Aithusa managed it" Arthur told him

"The genes!" Morgan said as Gaius hurried out of the bridge

Arthur turned to Morgana his look asking a question "Gaius said I had a trace of dracon genes, could Aithusa have tapped into them somehow." She looked at Aithusa who had surprisingly not followed Merlin. Aithusa chirruped and Morganas face lit up "I can understand her!"


	18. Chapter 18

From that moment when Aithusa wasn't with Merlin she could be found with Morgana. The two were becoming inseparable when Morgana was off duty. Gaius decided to try to communicate with the dracon hoping his recessive gene would allow him, but it was proving futile. Merlin was still in the life support bubble but Gaius felt he was making progress and would hopefully awake soon. Aithusa with Morgana found that they could communicate with the still unconscious man and the Captain had agreed for them to find out what happened.

As they sat round the bed Aithusa sat by Merlin then turned to Morgana after a few moments the navigators turned to Arthur

"It seems the 'things', that's what Merlin calls whatever it is out there, don't understand how they gain energy from the suns and found out by accident. He tried to ask them more but they didn't like it. Merlin says he spoke to one of his people who are in the cloud with the things, they didn't realise there were more alive. When Merlin told him that there were dracons but he was the last person, it seems before their sun burnt out the things and the dracons were going to share their planet. The dracons were going to send out a message for all the dracon to move there." She looked at Aithusa once more before turning back

"He says the things are many but can't communicate to the ship because of our shields but since the metal box, I think he means shuttle, was less protected they could speak to him there. It was the things that wanted Aithusa they were insistent and when he sent the message to us they punished him, Merlin says it hurt his head so much! Merlin says they must not get Aithusa, he also says they have a course to stay to he saw it in his mind….Captain it's earth! Their destination is earth"

"How does Merlin know?" Arthur asked her puzzled

"He doesn't he sent me the picture of the route, I clearly recognised it. They want to settle on Earth." She paused "Sorry Sir Aithusa says Merlin has stopped speaking to her. She is worried they have damaged him." Morgana sank down her shoulders stooped as if what she had just done had exhausted her.

"Are you alright Morgana?" Arthur asked his navigator.

"I think I was picking up on Merlin's exhaustion, I'll be ok" the navigator looked far from alright, she was pale and clearly not her normal self.

"Get yourself checked out and then rest" Arthur told her as he looked down at the dracon. "Thank you Aithusa look after him for me."

Arthur called a meeting where he disclosed what they knew, it hadn't got them much further except they now knew the destination of the beings. Arthur put a call through to the Federation council and told them what he had found out.

"Well you had better stop them Captain Pendragon, they will pass through the most densely populated area in the federation. There is no way we can evacuate the people nor anywhere to put that amount of beings. Keep us informed of you progress"

Arthur knew that would be easier said than done, he still had no idea how to stop them. Lance and Leon came up to him "Sir we have had a thought and looked at the past route of these things. It we can work out how often they need to collect energy we might be able to stop them by taking away their power source" Leon looked at his friend in sympathy.

Arthur pinched the bridge of his nose "And how will we do that? You're not suggesting we destroy the suns of solar systems surely"

"If we don't they will, the problem is how? And how many will we need to take out to stop them rerouting." Lance said

"Will you're the science officer look at it, as a theoretical exercise at present. Ask Elyan to help if you need to." Arthur walked away and wondered what Merlin would think of the plan, destroying suns, he was sure, would upset the balance something awful. Arthur hoped it wouldn't come to that. But they couldn't let whatever this was go through the most populated part of the galaxy without trying to stop it.

Arthur went down to the galley to get a drink and something to eat, his head was pounding again and he didn't need another lecture from Gaius about looking after himself. Then he had a thought, a stupid one maybe, but could the 'things' get the equilivent of a head ache if they didn't get to eat on time? Indeed what would happen to them if they didn't get their regular feeds? He would need to speak to Merlin again as soon as Morgana was rested.

His thoughts set up more questions like: did they just top up power or wait until they were almost empty, how long could they store it? Also what was the dracons part in this, how did they deal with the balance, Merlin seemed so very keen on? Didn't killing solar systems upset them or had the changed they had undergone made them lose the essence of what they were? Maybe just maybe Merlin could get them to rediscover there conservation worries and change what was happening. Could he ask the youngster to risk contacting them again?


	19. Chapter 19

Merlin wasn't waking up and Arthur needed answers. Leon and Lance had worked out that the 'things' would, if they followed the past pattern be due to feed of the next sun in thirty six hours, so they needed a plan pretty damn quick. But as yet no one had ant ideas except to throw a high energy charge into them to see if that would feed them enough to stop them destroying yet another solar system. The field was moving towards another solar system that at least appeared to have no life on any of the planets, although it wasn't in federation space so Arthur couldn't be sure.

They were ready with long range probes to fire as the sun was destroyed to see if they could get any clues as to how the energy was collected. While they were waiting Arthur got a call from sick bay.

"Arthur you best get down here! Merlin is trying to get up" Gaius voice came over the speakers, He sounded stressed and not like his normal self.

"Why wasn't I told he was awake?" Arthur demanded

"He isn't that's the point, I think he's being controlled" With that Arthur was headed for the door. He shouted at Leon "Helms yours Leon" as he went into the turbo lift.

When Arthur reached the sick bay he was met with the sight of Merlin trying to release himself from the support dome over the examination table. Aithusa was clearly upset and trying to stop him as was Gaius and Mithian. Gwen was trying to get close enough with a hypo spray to sedate Merlin. For someone so slender and lacking muscle mass Merlin was putting up a good fight and even appeared to be winning.

"MERLIN!" Arthur shouted "STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND THAT'S AN ORDER"

Merlin stopped long enough for Gwen to use the hypo spray, but even heavily sedated Merlin was still trying to sit up. Yet looking at his eyes Arthur could see Merlin wasn't himself. He looked dazed and confused. Aithusa was chirping and making small growling noises and looking from Merlin to Arthur.

Arthur walked to the communications unit on the wall and threw the switch "Commander La Fay to sick bay. At the double" coming back to the side of Merlin he laid his hand on the young mans shoulder "Calm down Merlin"

Looking at Gaius Arthur frowned "What was all that about!"

"I think something is controlling him Captain, it was if he was acting under control from elsewhere, he shouldn't have been able to sit up let alone fight us" Gaius looked worried "He was already sedated, giving him more was no ideal but …" Gaius was frowning and looking at the readings above Merlin's head; "His readings went off the scale"

Morgana came in at that moment and seeing Aithusa clearly very distressed she went up to her. Arthur glanced round "See if you can find out what's happening from her will you?" he asked his navigator.

Morgana knelt by Aithusa and stroking her scales looked at the young dracon and waited it was clear she was trying to make sense of what Aithusa was trying to tell her, through her mind. Morgana spoke without looking up "Aithusa says one of the 'things' is in Merlin's head and is telling him to go to them and take her" she looked up at the Captain clearly worried "Aithusa says he is fighting them but they are to powerful, and he wants you to kill him, that Aithusa mustn't be taken no matter what"

Morgana took a deep breath "Captain Aithusa says Merlin could take her from anywhere in the ship, but that you mustn't hurt Merlin" with that Aithusa went over to Arthur and looked up at him with sad eyes and then looked at Merlin as if begging him not to do as Merlin asked.

Arthur bent down and looked at the dracon "I don't want to Aithusa, but I can't let you be taken, why they want you so much?" The white dracon seemed to understand what Arthur was asking and agave what was an almost human shrug.

"She doesn't know and she doesn't think Merlin knows either. The trouble is as he knows where the shuttle is he can transport there easily"

Arthur gave a satisfied smirk "Well I can stop that at least" he walked to the wall once more "Gwaine blasted the shuttle to smithereens. I don't want a trace of it left"

"Ah Sir" came the reply. Then seconds later "Done, nothing left Sire"

Arthur looked at Gaius and Morgana, who were looking at him in surprise "Well he can't get there now can he, and if they want him they need a ship or he won't survive"

Morgana looked somewhat concerned "But Arthur both Merlin and Aithusa can travel in space without a ship, that's how there species spread across the galaxy, he'll just be forced to go to a nearby planet"

"and Morgana where is the nearest planet that would support Merlin and allow his to breathe or Aithusa come to that?" he spoke with a smug tone to his voice.

Morgana looked at Arthur and grinned "to far for them to travel without refuelling"

"Exactly, if they refuel we get to re- launch our probes, but my guess is it will take them of course to far, they need to move forward and there's nothing for at least to re fuelling's and that gives us time." Arthur turned to Gaius "Is there anything else you can do for Merlin? Anyway of blocking them from using him?"

"I'll work on it Arthur, you said they needed him to be on the shuttle as out shields were too great, obviously they can get through to some degree" Gaius was thinking aloud more than anything.

"Of course!" Arthur exclaimed "Morgana take Aithusa to Elyan and see if she can help him up the shields in some way to block them, they must be getting through somehow, block that and it will give us more time."


	20. Chapter 20

As everybody continued with the tasks set them Arthur went to his cabin and spent time re-evaluating all they knew and carefully going over each and every detail. It was his ability to spot loophole and think outside the box that made him a good captain. By the time he had finished he at least had one or two ideas. Going up to the bridge he found that Leon and Lance had worked out a list of the next possible systems that would be targeted and worked out the most likely using the present course of the entities.

Elyan, Morgana and Aithusa had been working hard and had strengthen the shields using a wavelength that seemed to, match some of the emissions given of as the 'thing' or entity's as it was now more correctly called, and Freya was beginning to make some progress with the language although she still had a long way to go before she could say more than hello with any degree of certainty. Gwaine had been working on the readings he and Lance had previously taken from the shuttle to see his he could work out a weapon to use against it, to delay it if nothing else.

Arthur walking to sick bay to see how Merlin was doing, now the extra shielding was in place. As he entered he saw Gaius and Mithian at the desk deep in conversation. "So you two any change in our patient?"

Gaius looked up "Yes as soon as Elyan changed the shielding Merlin's readings began to stabilise. Gwen is checking him now and we hope to take him out of the support field soon." He paused "Any further forward with anything else?" he asked rising one of his eyebrows up in a characteristic manner.

"I have a couple of ideas but I will wait until Merlin sis fit to talk, either with or without Aithusa." Arthur admitted. At present we are following our friends at a discreet distance"

Gwen walked in as Arthur finished talking "Give him a bit longer Captain and I think Merlin will be up to talking, but take it easy on him he has had a rough time of it"

"I will be as easy as I can but millions of people's lives are at risk if we can't stop this thing"

"I know that, but pushing Merlin won't get you anywhere, if he can help he will" Gwen told her Captain.

"I'll leave it an hour then come back, I'll bring Aithusa. Hopefully we will have a bit more to work on by then." Arthur turned and walked out of the sick bay and made his way back to the bridge.

He went to Leon and Lance who were discussing something scientific, after listening and deciding he had no idea what on earth they were on about he interrupted

"Can I put something to you guys?" he looked at then then continued "I have had an idea, the entity's seem very keen to get hold of the dracon, I'm wondering if it's because she is able to communicate with the other dracons back on Merlin's home planet. If that's true we need to ask ourselves why, they clearly don't need then for travelling in space, they have at least on draconlord or dracon within the entity, and most likely many of them. Merlin said they had to change to travel such a long way, they are now more gaseous that anything. I have concluded that it may be to do with whatever they intend to do when they reach earth." Arthur paused to let the other two digest what he had said then continued. "What is it about the dracons that the cloud can't do?"

Leon looked at Arthur the thinking out loud said "Perhaps they can't change back? After all they, we estimate, have been in this form for several centuries. Also we need to find out what they want earth for? I presume to settle. Which would mean they need to get rid of the present inhabitants"

Arthur nodded "My thoughts exactly, the entity don't seem to have weapons and they wouldn't want to use the sun for energy. So besides breathing fire what else could the dracons do?"

Lance took his turn in speaking "Well Merlin has powers that would or could be used to good effect, do the dracons have the same powers? Could they be the chosen weapons?"

"Again gentlemen you follow my thoughts. Merlin should be up to visitors soon. Think this through and get back to me, Merlin will be weak and I want to target my questions. Leon could you also look at the information we have collected on the possible past groups on worlds including Earth and see if there is a consensus on just what the dracon and their draconlords could do" Arthur was relieved that his thoughts and ideas seemed to be on the right lines. As soon as Gaius gave permission he intended to see what Merlin had to say. Time was running out and they needed a plan.


	21. Chapter 21

As soon as Gaius gave permission for Arthur to visit Merlin he did, he had had a log discussion with his senior officers and had a list of things he wanted to ask Merlin. Walking into the sick bay he noted that Merlin was back in the side room, a good sign surely. Gaius was at his desk. "Merlin's better then, I mean you've let him into the side bay"

"No Arthur, He was finding it to noisy out here, the attack on him has left him with a bad headache, so when you speak to him please be careful. I am only allowing it due to the seriousness of the situation, he is far from well." Gaius looked worried "The trouble is I still don't know what they did to him, I think it's due to the attacks effect on his strange powers that has made him weak, but I am only making assumptions and that's not good in medicine."

"I will be as brief as I can Gaius, I don't like this anymore than you do, Merlin is a civilian after all, and a young one at that."

Gaius gave a snort "I don't think his chronological age has anything to do with it. That boy has grown up quicker than he should have, it can't have been easy for him being the only one of his kind, even allowing for the symbiotic relationship with the dracons. My guess is even with his mother he has been an adult for more years than a child, I think he's been acting as an adult since he understood his powers, probably from about eight. Don't underestimate his maturity. Or think that because he doesn't follow orders that he's stupid, he's far from that."

Arthur looked shocked "I don't think he's stupid Gaius, just very rash with his own safety, he has to realise he isn't the only one here"

"He knows that Captain but he has grown up self-reliant, you can't change that overnight, just don't mistake his actions, he's far from a normal teenager." Gaius looked at his Captain with sympathy "He's never had to follow orders so don't expect him to now, work with him that's all I'm saying. Go on in and see him"

Arthur went into the side room and immediately realised just how poorly Merlin must feel. The younger man was curled up in a ball around Aithusa, he looked even paler than normal and had black circles under his eyes and a haunted look on his face. "Hi Merlin I hope you're feeling better than you look"

Merlin looked at Arthur and uncurled himself and sat up a bit more. Arthur stepped forward and moved the pillows so Merlin could prop himself up more. "Been better" Merlin was stroking the dracon absentmindedly as he spoke.

"I'm sorry Merlin but I need to ask you a few things, then I'll let you rest. But we are running out of time the entities will cross into federation space today and we estimate they will be refuelling at anther sun within twenty hours. We need to try and stop them or their next stop after that will kill millions." Arthur explained.

"Ask what you need, I will try to help" came the weak reply

"I know that Merlin. I will tell you what we have come up with and then you can tell me if you think were on the right track." Arthur told Merlin their thoughts on what the entities needed Aithusa for and about the reason for heading to Earth and also about their idea that the entities might have difficulties in changing back after so many years. "So what do you think?"

Merlin was clearly thinking things through, so they sat in silence for a moment or two before Merlin replied. "You are right about Aithusa, we have talked and she agrees, she has also contacted Kilgarrah… He believes they want to use them to remove the inhabitants, Earth has a much denser population than when Dracons were there before. It's too dense to share now. Also Kilgarrah has the memories and knows that at one time the message had been sent that earth was a good home and more should join, he thinks the 'entities' as you call then are using that to base their plans on." Merlin paused clearly getting breathless. "The dracons in the entity would know that as well." Merlin closed his eyes.

Arthur thinking Merlin had fallen asleep was just going to wake him when Merlin's eyes opened. "Thinking about what I felt and sensed I think you're right they have worries about transforming. They believe that entering the …atmosphere.. Is that the word?" Arthur nodded before merlin continued "That that will trigger the change. The dracon I spoke to seemed …..I felt had doubts about the eradication of the humans, that was the word I sensed, I'm not sure what he meant… was right the balance is important to our kind."

The Captain looked at Merlin "eradication means extermination as in killing everyone."

"Ah then I understand…look I know you won't like it but I need to talk to them again, see if I can contact the dracon part of what's out there. I might be able to get them to rethink. Will be pass any planets with breathable air and no people?"

"Yes we do, it's in the solar system of the next targeted sun, it's not good air but breathable. Why?" Arthur had the feeling he wasn't going to like the answer.

"If we got there first you could put me down and I could contact them, see if I could get them to try to change back and go to the surface. Suggest a practice run? Then you could work out a way of stopping them changing back, if I couldn't get them to change their minds. I could tell them I would help them contact my dracon family if they did" Merlin looked at Arthur "It might work, we have to try and the dracon's in them would help I'm sure, what they plan is against all their beliefs. Once there I might even be able to force them to stay using my powers"

"I'm not putting you down there alone!"

"You have to, they wouldn't go for it otherwise, and none of you can shield your thoughts like I can! That's why they hurt me the last time because I wouldn't let them into part of my thoughts." Merlin said simply

"I can't risk your life Merlin, you aren't even Federation personal I can't ask it of you!" Arthur said frustration in his voice.

"You're not asking I'm offering. One life risked for millions, you have no choice. Besides perhaps that's what I've been given my powers for! You have no choice! All I ask in return that you return Aithusa to Kilgarrah and make sure the dracons are left alone in peace and if possible, if I die, that my body is placed with my parents, as long as no one is endangered to get it." Merlin looked at Arthur "No better way to die than knowing I have saved others, I am the last of my kind let my death be meaningful please. I know what I am doing and I don't intend to die if I can help it."


	22. Chapter 22

Arthur left Merlin his thoughts in a whirl, he knew that in many ways Merlin was right, but at the same time he didn't want to let the teenager risk his life in such a way. He called an emergency meeting of all the senior officers. As soon as they were all gathered he asked each of them if they had made any progress on how to stop the entities progress. It was soon clear that although progress was being made it wasn't at a fast enough pace too be any good. Elyan had come closest to a workable idea.

"As I see it the only think we have at the moment which might just work is to turn the Camelot into a weapon. If we enter into the entities position in space and gig the engines up with all the phorton torpedoes so they blow together then it should blast the entities atoms into such a wide distribution pattern that they will be destroyed. But I can see no way of getting the crew off safely without them knowing, and unless we do that I can't see it working. So that means us being a Kamikaze weapon. But we will hopefully save millions in doing it." Elyan looked at the rest of them "I hope someone else has a better idea because we're running out of time."

No one did other than to destroy suns for an area big enough to leave the entities stranded without a source of fuel, and that would mean sacrificing millions of individuals as there was no way they could organise a complete evacuation of the solar systems involved.

Arthur put his hand in his head and covered his eyes, he knew he had only one chance. "Any other ideas no matter how farfetched? We have a few hours at best to make our minds up." No one spoke. "Elyan if we went with your plan when would we need to start the work and how long before detonation? Arthur asked his engineer

"We would need to get working now and if we weren't to take any planets with us then within forty eight hours." Elyan looked at the others "We haven't even got the leeway to put anyone down anywhere and if we sent anyone off on life craft they would need to leave now and that might alert them to what we are planning."

"So it's all of us against millions, I don't see as if we have a choice Captain. Even if we could somehow turn then off course they would still destroy other worlds even if not in Federation space." Morgana said "We all knew life was dangerous when we signed up Sir"

"Could Merlin and the dracon travel back to their planet using their own powers? They never signed up for this." Gwaine asked

Arthur took a deep breath "There is another plan. That might work and if it doesn't may still give us time to implement Elyan's. One that needs just one person." Arthur paused "But I don't like it but don't see as if we have a choice. Merlin has suggested we put him down on the class M planet in the next system. He thinks he can lure them in using the dracons within the entity. Suggesting a dummy run at changing back, he believes they may not be sure that can but that he might be able to help them change. He also believes that if he can get them to change he can use his powers to stop them changing back and moving on. He believes that they need Aithusa to contact the other dracons and use them as weapons to clear the population on earth. It's a long shot but he wants to try. It's one against hundreds or millions."

Lancelot spoke next "We can't let him Sir, he's a civilian and to young to risk such a thing"

"I agree" came voices from the rest.

"Unfortunately ladies and gentlemen this is not a democracy. I will make my decision within the hour. In the meantime Elyan start on your plan either way we might need it as a backup." Arthur stood up and went to his cabin.

As he left Morgana turned to Leon "You have to talk to him, he can't let Merlin do it"

Leon looked at Morgana then the rest of them "He doesn't want to any more than we do but it's one life. His job is hard enough as it is don't make it harder"

"I never want to be a Captain" Freya said softly "Risking your own life is one thing but sending others to theirs sucks"

Elyan looked at Leon "How many people can I have? I need Lance and as many other top people in engineering and science as I can"

"I'm on it" Leon told him "The rest of you back to your stations" It was a sombre group that dispersed.

Gaius who had kept quiet throughout went back to sick bay and collected a bottle before making his way to the Captain's cabin. Letting himself in he put two glasses down on the desk. "Times like these were what Romulan Ale was made for" he poured out two shots

"Look Arthur Merlin wouldn't have suggested it if he wasn't pretty sure he could deliver"

"I know that Gaius, but he's so young, and he's had no life" Arthur said "But I have no choice do I?"

"No you don't, but that doesn't make it easier. We're all very fond of Merlin and his little dracon, but it's gone deeper than that with you hasn't it?" Gaius asked "Arthur I've known you too long. You've kept a lock on that heart of yours but sooner or later someone was going to open it."

Arthur looked at the older man he had known all his life "Silly isn't it, he's half my age but somehow it doesn't matter" he took a deep breath "Don't tell him please"

"What do you take me for? The boy has only had his mother all his life who cared a damn about him. And now he's found a family, he might not realise it but he loves you to. You know even if he's successful he has practically no chance of getting out of this alive. Look Arthur it's not my place to tell you what to do but….I think you should tell him. Everyone has the right to feel someone other than their parents loves them and that they'll be remembered. Age has nothing to do with his, that boy has had to grow up quick he's older than any man I've met of his age."


	23. Chapter 23

As no one else came up with anything the Captain went to see Merlin once more he hated what he was about to do but had no choice. But he didn't want Merlin to go to the planet alone. Walking into the room he sat down next to Merlin "I'm sorry" he paused, how did he tell someone they were being sent to their probable death. He had done it before and if they lived he knew he would do it again, it was part of being a Captain, but never had the decision been harder.

Merlin looked at his in shock "It's the best chance you've got! You have to let me do it!" the young man looked really angry.

Arthur looked at Merlin "Let me finish Merlin, I was saying I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to take you up on your offer. But I want to go with you."

Merlin's expression changed from exasperation to something unreadable as he realized his plan was going to happen "You can't they'd be suspicions and there's no point in risking two of us."

"Merlin I won't send you down there alone" Arthur protested

"But you have to, you're need here, what happens if it doesn't work, you can't come." Merlin insisted. "It might ruin my only chance."

Arthur looked at Merlin and remembered what Gaius had said to him "Merlin I don't want to lose you, you've come to mean a lot to me" he paused "But I am going to have to let you do this, we do have a plan 'B' but I won't tell you, not that I don't trust you because I do, but in case they can read your mind more than you think. But one thing I want to know is can Aithusa travel back to the other dracons so she's safe."

Merlin looked at Arthur in surprise as the first part of Arthur's statement was said he blushed and looked down at his hands "You mean a lot to me as well, so do the others." Merlin looked at Arthur and the older man could see the emotion in his eyes. "Yes she can travel back, I will ask her to get Kilgarrah to call her if he senses me die, he will no matter where I am. As to other plans you're right don't tell me." Merlin shuddered "I don't want to die ….but I will if that's what it takes. I know you don't understand the balance but it's very important to me. I am nothing if I don't keep to my beliefs"

In that moment Arthur realised just what Gaius had said about Merlin's maturity he leant forward and took Merlin's shaking hands in his own and held them. "When I said you meant a lot to me I meant it, I know you're a lot younger than me, but I don't think I've ever felt like this about anyone, I will pray you get back safely, so we can get to know each other better, if you want to that is?"

Merlin looked at Arthur wide eyed, he swallowed several times before speaking "I'd like that, I really would" he pulled one of his hands out from Arthurs and reached up and touched the blondes face gently "I thought you only thought of me as a nuisance who couldn't do as he was told"

"You are! You're also an idiot with no sense of self preservation, but you might just save millions of lives, but more than that you're a kind, gentle and unique person" Arthur took a deep breath "But we need to sort out our plans or we'll run out of time. I want you to come to the bridge with me and speak to Lance and Morgana, Gwaine might be useful as well. We need to plan this to maximise the chance of you coming back in one piece, so we can talk some more!"

Merlin stood up "Ok let's do it"

Once they got to the bridge Arthur explained what the plan was. They would travel to within transporter distance of the class M planet and beam Merlin down. Then Merlin would contact the entity and try to get them to go to the planet. Merlin hoped to be able to talk to the dracon within the entity in hopes they would be more amenable to what Merlin would try and get them to do.

Lance suggested putting a tracker under Merlin's skin so they could beam him up easier. Merlin said he wouldn't take his seal as it might make it easier for the entity to cause problems with the ship. But he would use his powers to connect him in other ways. He wouldn't say more. But he gave the small seal to Morgana and asked her to put both of them round Aithusa's neck before she left the ship, if it was necessary. The rest of the plan was down to Merlin. Accept for the one final act that might be necessary Merlin turned to Gwaine "If I get them on the planet and can't make it impossible for them to leave, before they fully change back you will need to try to destroy them. If you get the chance don't worry about me, do it as you will only have a very small window of opportunity"

Gwaine looked dumbstruck "That will kill you!"

"I know but like I told the captain rather me than millions, I couldn't live with myself if that happened." Merlin said sincerely. "Is there any way you could give me a way of setting your ships weapons off? After all I will know first if I have failed" Merlin asked in all seriousness

Lance and Elyan looked at one another before Elyan replied "We might be able to rig something I'll get working on it."

"I have one other request, if I succeed but die, can you if it's safe, recover my body and return me to my parent's grave, Aithusa will show you it. That way I will be with them"

The bridge crew looked at Merlin in amazement, here was a boy still in his teens preparing himself to die for them all and he was so calm. In that moment he gave everyone an extra incentive to get him back no matter what. Leon looked at Merlin "We will I promise, but more than that we'll do everything in our power to make this work and get you back safely. You are a very brave man, the bravest of us all."


	24. Chapter 24

They set about getting Merlin ready for his task. He was implanted with a nanochip that would locate him accurately while he was planet side. Will Elyan and Gwaine worked on a way of Merlin being able to set off the weapons safely that couldn't be detected and used by the entity. In the end it was Merlin himself who worked that one out. He would contact Aithusa who would inform Morgana, who would in turn tell Gwaine next to her. That way it couldn't be used by the entity.

They were soon getting near the planet and Merlin and Arthur made their way down to the transporter room. Lance was scanning for the ideal location to beam Merlin to. Arthur looked at Merlin as they entered the room "You can still back out no one would think any worse of you" he told the young man.

"I would, no let's get on with it. I've said my goodbyes to everyone and Aithusa has warned Kilgarrah about what I'm doing. He said it was my destiny, so it must be right, the annoying dragon is always on about destiny." Merlin looked up at Arthur "It has been an honour to know you Arthur"

"The honour is mine….no ours. You are a brave man to help so many who you have never met. Particularly as it was a colony from Earth that killed your people." Arthur looked at Merlin then made a discussion and moved forward and hugged the other man "Be careful and come back" he gently kissed the other man on the cheek. "For me" he added.

Merlin hugged him back and moved to his position "Thank you Arthur, now send me down please"

Arthur worked the controls that sent Merlin to the planet then he handed over to a technician. "Under no circumstance leave this station unmanned and be ready at all times to do an emergency beam up. You have the transmitter details programmed in?"

"I do Sir" the technician told him.

"You will have two seconds to start beam up from when you get my message a man's life depends on you" then Arthur walked back to the bridge for the long wait.

As Merlin materialised on the planet he immediately started to contact the entity, He had planned in advance what he would do. As soon as he felt the entity trying to contact him he tried to select that which had once been a dracon. He managed it and started to send his thoughts to it. Suggesting that this planet was a good one and for them to come to it so he could speak to them in their true form. After much debate he also suggested that they may find it useful to change back after so many years. Sending a smaller and quieter message to the dracon part he suggested that this planet might be a good home that would not upset the balance. The entity did not see the need to change back before their objective was reached. Merlin told them that it might take some time as it had been so long and with resistance on Earth that might be time they didn't have. The conversation was taking much longer than Merlin had anticipated and he was feeling very weak. The entity had been suspicious of his motives and how he had got of the ship. He told then he had escaped when he found a place he could breathe as all the metal boxes were being watched. The dracon part of the entity was helping him to convince the rest that it was logical to practice.

It took a long time but in the end the entity moved towards the planet. Merlin had convinced them that if it was a success he would get Aithusa to contact the other dracons to help them. On the ship it had seemed an eternity until they noticed the entity changing course towards the planet.

"He's doing it!" Morgana informed the others. None had left the bridge for hours. Gaius had brought drinks up for them. He had a gurney waiting in the transporter room and told Gwen to wait there for when they beamed Merlin up. He had no doubt that the boy would be exhausted if nothing worse.

The entity spread itself thinly around the planet and slowly seemed to go into the atmosphere. It seemed to take several attempts. As it did so a part of it seemed to be staying behind in space. Lance was trying to establish why and what part. Then Aithusa chirruped and Morgana looked at her "Merlin says the dracon is staying behind, they are the force that makes space travel easier. If he traps the others to get them to go to Kilgarrah."

There was a clear break between the two and Morgana told Gwaine to get ready on her call. Gwaine looked at Arthur who ordered him to fire on Merlin mark.

On the planet Merlin knew he was close to achieving his aim. He had no doubt that the entity would refuse to stay on the planet they were set on Earth. But he knew what he had to do. As the last of the entity entered the planet's atmosphere they demanded he contact the dracon as promised. Merlin said he would, and contacted Aithusa, but tried one last time to get them to agree to stay where they were. They declined and began to get angry with him. Merlin concentrated his power and at the same time the dracon part of the entity moved away from the planet and the rest moved into the thermosphere a part of the atmosphere, which was far hotter than the entity was used to. Merlin started try to coax them in further by telling them it would be cooler once they were through it and once they were in the Troposphere it would be like earths temperatures. Then once they were in the getting closer to the surface he changed his aim and to make it rain as hard as he could. The entity not used to this gathered into a close area and pulled away completely from the upper atmosphere in an attempt to make themselves smaller and stronger. The closer they were to the ground and the gravitational pull of the planet the better they could resist the rain. Once there and in a small area Merlin realised that they would not stay, without the dracons influence he sensed a deep malevolence and hatred. He knew then what he had to do. He told the entity he was going to speak to Aithusa to call Kilgarrah as by now they were so close he knew they could read his thoughts also most completely. So with the pre-arranged message he spoke to Aithusa.

On the ship Aithusa told Morgana to fire at the planet. Arthur contacted the transporter room as Gwaine hit the phasers and the photon torpedoes at full force into the planet.


	25. Chapter 25

On the bridge they watched as everything they had was fired on the planet, not enough to destroy it but destroy everything in the small area Gwaine had fired at. At the same moment Arthur called top the transporter room "Did you get him?" anxiety clear in his voice.

To his surprise it was Elyan who answered "Working on it Captain" Arthur knew better than to interfere further so kept quiet.

Elyan was the best they had and would do everything he could, it clearly wasn't a clean pick up and the last thing Elyan needed was inference when he was trying to stop Merlin's atoms being scrambled over space or reassembled in a mash. Looking up at the screen the captain waited to see if there was any sign of the entity escaping from the planet's surface. As the redness faded from the atmosphere he could see nothing to tell him one way or the other.

Turning to Gwaine for an answer he saw the weapons officer scanning his instruments. "No sign of anything sir, I think we got them but…."

Lance spoke from his station "There no sign of the previous readings Sir, only the part that stayed in space."

It was too early to feel relief they had to be sure. Then Arthur heard a small chirrup from Aithusa and Morgana turned round "Sir Aithusa says the beings in space are her kind, she can't communicate with them but senses them. But she can't sense Merlin at all, she is distressed."

"Tell her we hope he's ok in the transporter, Elyan's working on it."

With that a call come through from Elyan "Sir we have Merlin, Gaius and Gwen are working on him but no life signs, I'm sorry"

Arthur went pale, he wanted to run down to the transporter room but he would be in the way, also he was needed on the bridge they had yet to establish whether they had completed their mission. So he did the only thing he could do "Percy to the bridge"

When the large security guard arrived a few moments later Arthur told him "Take Aithusa to the transporter room or sick bay wherever Merlin is, she may be able to help." As Percy took the dracon off Arthur turned to his officers "Well what the hell is happening?"

Gwaine looked at his instruments "As far as I can see we did it"

Then Arthur heard Freya at her communications station "Sir I am getting a message from the remaining entity in space"

"Put it on the speaker" Arthur ordered

"We are alone, we will go to find others of our kind, and we will protect the balance. The others are gone, we are sorry for what we did it was too late once we had started we couldn't separate they needed us to travel. We have much to make up for"

Arthur's eyebrows rose up his forehead "Thank you for your help. Go in peace there are only a few of your kind left that we know of, so we will not punish you. Before you go can you help Merlin a humanoid of your species?"

"The one who helped us be free?" came the voice that somehow sounded old and wise.

"Yes we tried to bring him back as we fired on the planet but he is in problems" Arthur told them "He is as far as we know the last of his kind."

"Tell your healers to leave him, he will wake when he is ready there is nothing we or you can do" came the sad reply "It is up to the gods now, he is still breathing tell them to watch carefully. Farewell Earth people" With that they started to move away.

Arthur looked at Leon "Take the helm and continue to check the planet surface. Morgana track the dracon" Arthur turned and walked of the bridge and down to the sickbay.

He arrived to find Gaius and Gwen working on Merlin, Aithusa was sat watching them. Arthur moved so he could see Merlin but not be in the way "The dracon in space said to leave him that he would wake up. They also said he was still breathing."

"I wish that was true Captain, there are no life signs and haven't been since he was beamed up. He's dead Arthur, I'm sorry" Gaius looked down at the body in front of him. He pulled up the sheet to cover him.

"Gaius they were so sure" Arthur said brokenly "They said watch carefully, we can't give up!"

Gaius looked at his captain in sympathy "He's dead"

Gwen looked at her Captain them back at Gaius "Look why don't we leave the sensors running, they were dracons and should know their people. It can't do any harm" she said reasonably.

Gaius looked at her "Ok leave them for all the good it will do, Arthur don't get your hopes up there have been no signs of life for nearly ten minutes." Gaius turned away his shoulder slumped. Gwen turned to Arthur "I have them plugged through to my room and I will set the alarms" she put her hand on Arthurs forearm "I will try to keep hope in my heart Sir" with that she left the room.

Arthur moved the sheet of off Merlin's face and looked down at the young man who had come to mean so much to him "Don't let me down, please" Aithusa jumped onto the end of the examination couch and curled up around Merlin's feet. She looked up at Arthur as if to tell him she would guard Merlin.

"I so want them to be right Aithusa, I don't want to bury him not after all this, he deserves to live and be happy" he lent across and stroked the dracon "Look after him"

At that moment Leon called from the bridge "Captain to the bridge, urgent code red"

Arthur took off at a run and was back on the bridge in no time. As he entered he immediately turned to Leon who was just relinquishing the command chair.

"Sir we have signs of life in the target zone on the planet, Science is sweeping the area and communications is attempting to get contact." Leon looked at his captain "They aren't the same or even vaguely similar to any other readings on the planets surface"

Freya turned round "I have contact Sir, using the universal translator"

"Put it through the speakers Commander" Arthur instructed as he sat down on the command chair.

"Why have you trapped us here? We must complete our journey" came a metallic but somehow humanoid voice that was somehow vaguely male in tone.

"This is Captain Arthur Pendragon of the U.S.S Camelot, We had no choice, you were killing millions of inhabitants from the systems stars you were destroying, Earth that you were heading for is fully populated, we knew of your plan to eradicate them. The planet you are on will allow your species to live"

"Why did the dracon betray us? We have lived in unity for centuries. Help us return to space." Came the reply

"The dracon wanted to maintain the balance and realised what you were doing was wrong. They have gone to find their kind. You must remain on the planet and make new lives for yourselves. We will remain in orbit and help you with any tools you need to make shelters and allow you to find and grow sustenance, but you will remain on the planet, it is much the same as Earth that you were heading for. Find peace in your new home." Arthur told them "It will be better than your centuries of traveling. You set out for a new home and have one."

"But not the one we wanted"

"Earth is not the same as when you set out on your journey, much time has passed, what you have is good and will allow you to have a place to call your own. How many of you have survived?"

"All of those who were in what you called the entity. Some five hundred souls the energy from your weapons allowed us to return to our original form. Without the dracon we are trapped"

Arthur smiled to himself "Then make the most of your new life" he turned to Leon "Find out how we can help them and arrange to transport what they need, no shuttles beam it all down and no personal to go planet side." Arthur turned and looked at Morgana "Programme some buoys and get them placed in orbit I want the planet quarantined until we can be sure they are settled in their new home and are no longer a danger. The Federation Council can send out a delegation to assess them."

The communications device at his side burst into life "Arthur his heart beat! Only once but it was a clear beat and at the same time there was a very faint brain wave trace" Gwen's voice told him "We will continue to monitor him

carefully"

"Thank you Gwen, please keep me informed" Arthur felt his heart quicken, just a chance that was all that Merlin needed. It seemed it wasn't only the entity that was hard to kill!


	26. Chapter 26

Once the buoys were in place around the planet, effectively quarantining it, Arthur asked Morgana to accompany him to sick bay, three hours had passed since they had beamed Merlin up from the planet. Arthur had post the euphoria that occurred when he heard from Sick bay last. He had called down a couple of times for news but there had been none. He hoped the Aithusa would be able to tell Morgana something. If Merlin was dead, and it was looking increasingly like he was Arthur wanted to honour the other man's wish to be buried with his parents.

They entered sickbay to find Gaius and Gwen running tests above Merlin's still form. "Any news?" Arthur asked hopefully.

Gaius looked up "Yes and no, ten minutes ago another heart beat triggered the alarms and there was a slight trace on the brain waves, but nothing else. I just don't understand it. We've tested everything but no other trace of life remains. I can't help but think it's an anomaly to do with Merlin's powers and not a sign of life. However rigor mortis has not started to set in either."

"Did Aithusa do anything?" Arthur asked disappointment clear in his voice.

"No she's just remained were she is and hasn't moved." Gwen told her Captain

Morgana walked closed and placed her hand on Aithusa and spoke to her quietly. Then went into the trance like state she had on a couple of occasions when communicating with the dracon. After a couple of moments she smiled and looked up at her captain. "Aithusa doesn't seem to be at all worried about Merlin, she tells me she has spoken to Kilgarrah who says he can wake him when we take them home" Morgana looked at Arthur "You promised to return his body?"

"I did, he wanted to be buried with his parents, but is he dead?" Arthur was upset by the uncertainty.

"I don't think so Sir, that's not the impression I get, I think he has put himself into some sort of suspended animation until he is returned home. Perhaps that was why he wanted his body returned, in case he could be saved" Morgana looked at the Captain with hope.

"Is that possible Gaius?" a faint feeling of hope returned to Arthur.

Gaius snorted "Arthur you know as well as I do there are many things we don't understand in the galaxy, how do I know? It would explain the heart beats but" he shrugged "I suggest we keep him monitored until we can find out."

For the first time since he had arrived Arthur went to Merlin's side and looked down, he placed his hand on Merlin's cheek "Please be alive" something none of them had never before seen then happened as a single tear ran down Arthurs face.

Gaius led Morgana and Gwen out to give Arthur some privacy and shut the door. He turned to Morgana "Please keep that moment private" he ordered "If the Captain says anything that's his choice"

Morgana gave a small smile "I had my suspicions already, but don't worry I won't say anything. If Merlin does recover I will tease Arthur but privately." she looked at the doctor "But do you think Merlin will recover?"

"You know as much as I do." Gaius admitted.

Inside sick bay Arthur wiped he ear away and very gently bent down and kissed the corner of Merlin's mouth "I should have kissed you while I had the chance. Just get better you idiot, we have a lot to discuss." Arthur then put his hand on the dracons head and patted it. "Don't let Morgana know what I said please, and stay with him for me" Arthur stood looking at Merlin for a bit longer, holding the unresponsive hand before turning away and walking out.

The others were waiting as he came out but said nothing. Morgana go and set a course ready for Merlin's home planet, I am going to contact the council for permission to leave, I will contact you as soon as I have permission."

"Yes Sir, oh Merlin asked me to put both the seals around Aithusa's neck if anything happened to him, do you want me to?"

"Sort out the course first once were on our way I suppose you should. She will look after then either way, hopefully he can take them back himself." With that Morgana returned to the bridge.

As Arthur went to leave Gaius squeezed his shoulder as a sign of support and Gwen said "If anyone can come back from the dead it will be Merlin Sir, we'll look after him and his little friend"

"Thank you, both of you" Arthur walked out not trusting himself to say more.

As soon as he had gone Gwen turned to Gaius "You already knew didn't you?" she demanded

"Yes I did, I have known Arthur all his life it wasn't hard if you knew how to look. A Captains job is a lonely one, it doesn't have much opportunity to make attachments." Gaius admitted "Quite what will happen if Merlin lives I don't know but I wish them luck, they're both good people"

Gwen nodded "They are and well matched once you know." She turned and looked at Merlin and smiled "Even more reason to keep him safe. Who would have guessed I always had the Captain down as a ladies man, but perhaps it's just Merlin"

"Love is love where ever we find it and thank goodness for that, you know once it was frowned on, in fact illegal for two men or two women to love one another, it still is on some planets, as for two different species. But we move on and thank goodness for that."

"I agree, but it will still break some hearts among the Captains fans among the men and women alike" Gwen admitted before she went back to work.


	27. Chapter 27

Arthur went to his cabin and contacted the federation council on his secure line and filed his report. He then asked permission to return Merlin's body to his home planet. Saying at the same time that is was there they would be able to establish his true state. He was told that he would have to wait until the U.S.S. Utopia came to relieve them e.t.a. four days. Arthur was incensed "The man in question save this galaxy, he is also the last of the humanoid part of the dracons culture that we know of. If there is the slightest chance the dracon can save him we owe him that much without that he may well die, he's the last of his kind!" Arthur argued.

"We are sorry but we cannot risk leaving the galaxy exposed if the entities escape from the planet. The risk is to great" the Commander in Chief told Arthur "That is the council's decision."

Arthur took a deep breath and counted to ten before replying "If they get of the planet the only one that can stop them is in my sick bay essentially dead. What makes you think we can do this time what we couldn't do before?" Arthur hadn't told them of plan B, to make the Camelot a bomb."

"Captain you have your orders, obey them" With that he was cut off. Arthur immediately contacted some other contacts he had, he also contacted the Captain of the Utopia before making his way up to the bridge.

As he entered the bridge he asked Morgana if the course was set for Merlin's home planet, now called Draconia instead of M3298675. One of the few things he had been successful at arranging. Thanks to some contacts in the correct department. What only he knew was that the earth settlers who had wiped out Merlin's father and people were going to be removed and their leaders tried for Genocide. But as it had yet to be implemented he wasn't permitted to tell his crew.

"Morgana keep those coordinates programmed in but we won't be leaving yet, Federation orders but you can leave the bridge and carry out the promise you made to Merlin. But once the discs are around Aithusa neck place Merlin's arm in the chain and ask Aithusa to do this" he handed this navigator a piece of paper which she looked at and smiled.

"Yes Sir" with that she was gone

"What are you up to Sir" Leon asked looking at his Captain and friend with suspicion

"Keeping a promise, I hope" Arthur told him. "I hope it works that's all." He muttered almost under his breath. Then looking at hoe other officers on the bridge he said. "It seems the council think staying here is more important than trying to help Merlin, I am trying to redress that, and at the same time obeying orders"

"Leon take Morganas post if something leaves the ship track it please" Arthur told his first officer.

It was some five minutes later when Leon spoke "Something small has left the ship, not sure how, or how it was moving but I have a partial track it seems to be heading in the direction of M3298675. Which seems to have been named Draconia, Sir, But it soon disappeared."

"Good name" Gwaine piped up "Liked that"

"Thank you Leon, I suspect Morgana will be back soon when she is she will take her position back.

As Arthur finished speaking Morgana walked in closely followed by Gaius and Gwen. Morgana was smirking, but the two doctors were looking very annoyed. As Morgana sat down Gaius walked up to the Captain and demanded "Would you mind telling me what the hell had happened to my patient and the small dracon, your navigation officer refuses to tell me"

Morgana piped up "I told you I don't know! All I did was give Aithusa Merlin's property for safe keeping, as I was asked by the Captain, we can't keep private items from their owners"

"Poppycock! Well Captain?" Gaius demanded

"You said he was dead did you not, well I'm not in a position to chase over the galaxy for a corpse and an animal. I have been ordered to stay here by the council. Surely you see I have no choice" Arthur winked at Gaius "I'm sure you report will reflect that as will mine"

"And unofficially?" Gaius asked

"Unofficially the discs enable a dracon with his lard to travel on space to either a known fixed point or other dracons. I have reason to believe that Merlin's condition is known and curable but the dracon. I think we owe him every chance don't you, waiting until we leave in four days might have been detrimental. Both parties were civilians and members of a threatened species, whose situation on their planet was made much worse by settlers from Earth, We owe them not only the galaxy but the chance to save the last of their co-dependent species"

Gaius looked at Arthur "and of course you had no idea that that would happen and Morgana never suggested it did she?"

"Morgana? Surely those tests you did weren't finished, needed more work I thought you said only a slight genetic trance to you and Morgana" Arthur looked at Gaius all innocent looking.

"Yes Captain lots more work needed" Gaius turned to Lance "I need your help I think some of my work on the computer needs looking at, I seem to be losing some of my data" then very quietly he continued "Or I better be"

"I'm glad that's sorted. Now I think I'm going to have my meal break and a glass of your Romulian Ale Gaius, care to join me?


	28. Chapter 28

Arthur went to his cabin and contacted the federation council on his secure line and filed his report. He then asked permission to return Merlin's body to his home planet. Saying at the same time that is was there they would be able to establish his true state. He was told that he would have to wait until the U.S.S. Utopia came to relieve them e.t.a. four days. Arthur was incensed "The man in question save this galaxy, he is also the last of the humanoid part of the dracons culture that we know of. If there is the slightest chance the dracon can save him we owe him that much without that he may well die, he's the last of his kind!" Arthur argued.

"We are sorry but we cannot risk leaving the galaxy exposed if the entities escape from the planet. The risk is to great" the Commander in Chief told Arthur "That is the council's decision."

Arthur took a deep breath and counted to ten before replying "If they get of the planet the only one that can stop them is in my sick bay essentially dead. What makes you think we can do this time what we couldn't do before?" Arthur hadn't told them of plan B, to make the Camelot a bomb."

"Captain you have your orders, obey them" With that he was cut off. Arthur immediately contacted some other contacts he had, he also contacted the Captain of the Utopia before making his way up to the bridge.

As he entered the bridge he asked Morgana if the course was set for Merlin's home planet, now called Draconia instead of M3298675. One of the few things he had been successful at arranging. Thanks to some contacts in the correct department. What only he knew was that the earth settlers who had wiped out Merlin's father and people were going to be removed and their leaders tried for Genocide. But as it had yet to be implemented he wasn't permitted to tell his crew.

"Morgana keep those coordinates programmed in but we won't be leaving yet, Federation orders but you can leave the bridge and carry out the promise you made to Merlin. But once the discs are around Aithusa neck place Merlin's arm in the chain and ask Aithusa to do this" he handed this navigator a piece of paper which she looked at and smiled.

"Yes Sir" with that she was gone

"What are you up to Sir" Leon asked looking at his Captain and friend with suspicion

"Keeping a promise, I hope" Arthur told him. "I hope it works that's all." He muttered almost under his breath. Then looking at hoe other officers on the bridge he said. "It seems the council think staying here is more important than trying to help Merlin, I am trying to redress that, and at the same time obeying orders"

"Leon take Morganas post if something leaves the ship track it please" Arthur told his first officer.

It was some five minutes later when Leon spoke "Something small has left the ship, not sure how, or how it was moving but I have a partial track it seems to be heading in the direction of M3298675. Which seems to have been named Draconia, Sir, But it soon disappeared."

"Good name" Gwaine piped up "Liked that"

"Thank you Leon, I suspect Morgana will be back soon when she is she will take her position back.

As Arthur finished speaking Morgana walked in closely followed by Gaius and Gwen. Morgana was smirking, but the two doctors were looking very annoyed. As Morgana sat down Gaius walked up to the Captain and demanded "Would you mind telling me what the hell had happened to my patient and the small dracon, your navigation officer refuses to tell me"

Morgana piped up "I told you I don't know! All I did was give Aithusa Merlin's property for safe keeping, as I was asked by the Captain, we can't keep private items from their owners"

"Poppycock! Well Captain?" Gaius demanded

"You said he was dead did you not, well I'm not in a position to chase over the galaxy for a corpse and an animal. I have been ordered to stay here by the council. Surely you see I have no choice" Arthur winked at Gaius "I'm sure you report will reflect that as will mine"

"And unofficially?" Gaius asked

"Unofficially the discs enable a dracon with his lard to travel on space to either a known fixed point or other dracons. I have reason to believe that Merlin's condition is known and curable but the dracon. I think we owe him every chance don't you, waiting until we leave in four days might have been detrimental. Both parties were civilians and members of a threatened species, whose situation on their planet was made much worse by settlers from Earth, We owe them not only the galaxy but the chance to save the last of their co-dependent species"

Gaius looked at Arthur "and of course you had no idea that that would happen and Morgana never suggested it did she?"

"Morgana? Surely those tests you did weren't finished, needed more work I thought you said only a slight genetic trance to you and Morgana" Arthur looked at Gaius all innocent looking.

"Yes Captain lots more work needed" Gaius turned to Lance "I need your help I think some of my work on the computer needs looking at, I seem to be losing some of my data" then very quietly he continued "Or I better be"

"I'm glad that's sorted. Now I think I'm going to have my meal break and a glass of your Romulian Ale Gaius, care to join me?


	29. Chapter 29

It took the U.S.S. Utopia three days and not four to reach them, thanks to its captain coming at full speed, he owed Arthur a favour and was glad to repay. While they were waiting there was no sign of any escape from the Planet. In fact the entities had appeared to have decided that it suited their purpose. They had told Leon who was acting as a contact that hey preferred to be called by their original name of the Orcra and that was put on record. Their physical appearance was similar to the basic humanoid shape, that seemed to be the norm in intelligent species, although not always the case, as in the dracons.

As soon as Arthur had handed over to the Utopia the Camelot warped out towards Draconia. There new orders was to supervise the removal of the human settlers from the planet and ensure the Dracon were protected from further interference. Getting the job allocated to them had taken some time and a lot of favour collection. But it was also being used as a well-deserved R&R break for the crew, one Arthur knew they would enjoy as it wasn't often they got to go planet side for breaks, normally they had to settle for space stations.

As they set off for Draconia Elyan told the Captain that the ship was fully rigged for maximum warp and that the engines 'could do with a good run' Needing no further excuse, and promising himself that the engineer would be one of the first to get shore leave, Arthur ordered full speed ahead. He wouldn't admit it to anyone but he was worried about the fate of Merlin and Aithusa. The little dracon had wormed its way into his affections and Arthur really couldn't bear the thought of a life without Merlin in it. He didn't regret sending the two away as he did, he hadn't really had a choice, but he would have preferred to have gone with them.

They soon had a message for Draconia from the Federation vessel in orbit to say Merlin and Aithusa had arrived safely but had not been seen. This came as a great relief to Arthur and the crew.

It was with a cheer that Morgana put the ship into orbit as they arrived several weeks later. Even at maximum warp most of the way and going straight there it hadn't been a quick journey. But it had given Arthur plenty of time to think. Once there they contacted the Federation vessel that was continuing the investigation into the genocide of Merlin's people, Although the results so far were damning for the settlers.

Once they had arrived Arthur immediately arranged to beam down to the surface taking Gaius and Gwen as well as Freya, Lance. Morgana and Percy, and three other security men leaving Leon in charge.

They were beamed to the site of the most life readings of the dracon they could find hoping to find Merlin there. As they materialised they were greeted by the Great Dracon Kilgarrah and several other fully grown dracons. They somehow seemed bigger than before but Arthur put that down to having got used to Aithusa.

"Greetings earthling" Kilgarrah spoke first "You have fulfilled your destiny with M'mmilllyn and for that we thank you"

Arthur hesitated in case the answer was one he didn't want "Did Aithusa and Merlin return safely to you?"

The dracon tilted its large head and gave what Arthur hoped was a smile, but it was a strange expression on such a beast. "Of course, you understood the need to get our draconlord to us"

Arthur felt his heart beating his question still hadn't been answered "Is he alive?"

"He is" came the reply "As is the little one and the old ones, we are complete once more." Kilgarrah stared at the group "The talker is with you, she can be trained to do more, as can the healer"

Arthur frowned not understanding for a moment "Oh you mean Morgana and Gaius! Gaius found they had a trace of Merlin's species genes for the dracons time on earth. What do you mean they can be trained?"

"What I said earthling, their latent talents can be brought to the fore, with help." Kilgarrah started to turn away.

"Wait, can we see Merlin?" Arthur asked frightened that the dracon's were going to fly away.

"Of course, he comes" Kilgarrah replied. Sure enough a small figure was walking through the dracons towards them.

"Hi, you got here than?" came the cheeky voice.

"Yes we did you idiot!" Arthur walked towards Merlin and hugged him then pulling away looked at the younger man "You're looking better than when I saw you last"

"Well since I was almost dead I should hope so!" Merlin grinned, "I'm glad you came to see us, the dracons from the entity are here, and Kilgarrah and the others are helping them with the change. How long are you here for?"

"We have come to supervise the removal of the others, they will be resettled elsewhere and the leaders tried for what they did to your people. With your permission my crew would like to have a break on the planets surface, they won't interfere with the dracons."

"Of course they can, the others could stay if they wanted to, as long as they work with us to maintain the balance." Merlin offered. "Kilgarrah has been working on plans with the other ship that arrived before I got here"

"Merlin they should never have settled here in the first place, your people were here first."

"But they have been here for several generations, they are my mother's people" Merlin explained. "I have spoken to some of them"

"I will also speak with them, but we need to make sure you and yours are safe. The planet has now been named Draconia and registered to you and the dracons"

Merlin beamed "Did you hear that Kilgarrah, we have our own home!"

"Lord it has been ours for hundreds of years, we don't need them to tell us that" the dracon looked disgusted

"But this means we will be left alone, no one can take it from us!" Merlin was excited.

Then they all heard a 'ummmp' from behind them as Aithusa arrived and ran into Morgana and surrounded the communications officer with her wings.

"Oh Aithusa!" Morgana bent down and cuddled the small dracon.

Kilgarrah glared at the little one "Aithusa!" he growled then turned to Merlin "M'mmilllyn is this how you looked after Aithusa, where is her dignity"

"She's happy Kilgarrah, she is young and had made friends" Merlin protested. "Cuddles are how humans express their emotions" with that he walked closer to Arthur and threw his arms around the Captain.

Arthur found himself responding, regardless of the audience, he whispered in Merlin's ear. "It's so good to see you safe, I've missed you, you idiot"

Merlin grinned and whispered back "I've missed you to you prat"

Kilgarrah gave the dracon equivalent of a cough and muttered something about two side of a coin and flew off the rest of the dracons following leaving only Aithusa behind.

Arthur realising they weren't alone turned to Gaius and Gwen "Can you check Merlin over and make sure he is fully recovered. The rest of you lets head for the settlement and tell them the news"

Aithusa followed Merlin as he took the physicians to his home cave. While the others were beamed closer to the settlement of the others. As the appeared just above the small town that was nestled in the valley they knew they had been spotted. Walking down the pathway they were met by Obram, the spokesman from their last visit. The other man stopped as they neared.

"Hello Captain, we hadn't expected you back, the elders spotted you and asked me to say you are not welcome here." He looked embarrassed "I'm sorry but they took offense at you interfering with their actions. They resent the other ship being here"

Arthur looked at the other man being careful not to allow his face to show anything. "And you, did you take offense?"

"The boy was trouble it would have been better if he had died then, he has been seen again and this time they will find him, you can't stop the inevitable unless you remove him" Obram gave a smile "If you did it would save unpleasantness"

"The Federation isn't here to 'prevent unpleasantness' at least not in the way you think. I know you have had other visitors who have looked at the claim to this planet. I am here to tell you the outcome. Perhaps we should met with the elders" Arthur kept his face neutral.

"The elders have asked you tell me, they have no wish to mingle with off worlders" Obram insisted.

"That's unfortunate because I need to speak to them, we have our communications officer with us and she will provide universal translators which will allow us to speak directly. The news I have to impart needs to be given to the elders directly." Arthur said politely but in a tone that brooked no argument.

Obram looked at the group and turned and started to walk back to the town. Saying as he did so "You are making a mistake the elders have friends in high places"

Arthur smirked "So do I"

As the group got closer to the town several townspeople came out to watch them walk towards the central meeting house. They were all dressed in homespun clothes but looked healthy although not particularly happy. Whether that was because of the starship crew's presence, or for another reason it was hard to tell. Percy and his men were keeping a very close eye and were ready to act if needed.

Obram entered the building and the others followed leaving two security men outside the door. Inside was a long table, behind which were sat six people. Four men and two women. Obram spoke to them as Freya placed a universal translator on the table.

"They insisted on speaking to you, the Captain says he has news that has to be given to the elders" Obram said to the man who was clearly the leader. He had been one of the men who had been trying to kill Merlin all those weeks ago.

He was a man in his late fifties and he looked at Arthur carefully before speaking "You are not welcome here, we have made that clear to the others of your kind, and this is our home and must insist you leave"

Arthur waited for him to stop speaking before he replied. "My name is Captain Arthur Pendragon of the U.S.S. Camelot."

Obram looked at Arthur "This is the ruling Council of our settlement, Enoc our leader, Ira, Aron, Catrina, Irne and Rhurn are the remainder, their families have ruled as council since the first settlement"

Arthur nodded at each in turn "I came at the request of the Federation Council who as you are aware have looked at your case, their decision is in and is final. As there was another sentient race here before you, your occupation of this planet was illegal and also not approved, you may have had friends in high placed at that time but your claim was not investigated or registered. The council realise this happened several generations ago however, your treatment of the race who were here before you amounts to ethnic cleansing and genocide is a crime taken very seriously by the Council."

The elders stood up and the leader spoke once more "The devils spawn you talk of were evil. We admit to the deaths of several who broke the laws, but they were dealt with according to those same laws. We were here first, we have the right to choose our own lives. Your Federation has no voice here"

Arthur smiled "Unfortunately your colony requested and were granted the right to keep citizenship of Earth, a right you have never revoked. The Federation has spoken to the remaining original settlers of this plant and they have proof of longer habitation. There were two species here who lived as one co-dependent species and have done so for centuries. You choose only to see one, the other is still here in numbers. If you will accompany me I can introduce you to their leader." Arthur paused "As citizens of earth and therefore the federation you are foremost governed by those laws and your council and those others involved will be given a trail for genocide, the remainder of your colony will be relocated, either to earth or some other colony of their choice. The true sentient beings of the planet have offered a place to those who wish to work with them. We are here to ensure that is carried out."

The council were all talking at once and Arthur couldn't hear what they were saying, he put his hand up and shouted "QUIET Gentlemen please. Until the trail your council well be kept in custody and taken to the Federation headquarters for trial. The rest of your colony will be confined to this part of the planet, a force field will be erected round your township, while its inhabitants decide what they wish to do. Now before then if you wish to speak to the sentient beings who you have shared this world with they are willing to speak to you or any inhabitant. My people will come back and speak to small groups of people to make the transition smooth."

Arthur looked at the council who at last seemed to comprehend the full extent of what was happening to them. "I realise this is a shock to you, but you have had chance to discuss all of these issues with the Federation investigators while they were here. Ignoring the issues won't make them go away. I'm sure when you do met the Dracon you will realise just how lucky you have been to share the planet with such beings, they could have wiped you out years ago if it weren't for their beliefs."

Obram spoke for the first time since introducing the council. "The one we call the Devil sporn, he is one of the beings?"

"He is the last of his kind thanks to you all, but the other beings are more numerous, they live as one despite being very different, their pairing is several thousands of years old. They are peaceful and believe very strongly in what they call the balance, in which all things have a place and if you take something you must give something back." Arthur looked at the group with sadness "Something you profess to believe but choose to ignore."

Arthur turned to leave then hesitated "I suggest you take the dracons offer up you will be surprised by them. The force field will be in place by now, please ensure your people know about it. If we find anyone outside the barrier they will be returned here. The whole planet will be swept there will be no one missed. My people will be here to discuss anything with anyone who wishes it. Another ship with more investigators will be arriving tomorrow so you will have your opportunity to say your piece to them, be warned they are Vulcans and won't be swayed by emotions only facts. I am here to see that everything goes smoothly and to mediate with the Dracon"

Arthur turned and left followed by the others. As they left the building Lance looked at his Captain "I do believe you enjoyed that"

"I did, how could anyone think so ill of Merlin?" Arthur sighed "All his people gone, even his father, yet he is still willing to live with these people. I don't think I could be so magnanimous"

"What I find so strange is the dracon, they're so huge and savage looking and have had such a reputation throughout the centuries and in most cultures they are depicted as evil but they are in fact very peaceful" Lance said "The Chinese seemed to look on them as good luck but even on other planets I can't find anyone else who did. A few places had them as emblems but if you look at the history they are still depicted as savage beasts."

"I guess we still have to learn that looks aren't everything" Arthur said then in an effort to lighten the mood joked "After all look at Gwaine, yet he should have been a Klingon in many ways. He can drink like one at the very least."

"On that subject can I go on a different shore leave than Gwaine? He has plans to introduce the Dracon to Romulain ale!"


	30. Chapter 30

Arthur started to schedule the shore leave as well as the overall supervision of the winding up of the investigation and discussions with the others. It seemed quite a few of the younger settlers had decided they would like to stay where they were even though the dracons were insisting on many changes to their live style choices. It had come as a complete surprise to all the settlers that the large flying creatures they were so used to seeing were the sentient beings that were being given rights to the planet and that the planet had been named after.

Merlin had so far avoided the meetings, his memories of how he had been treated were too fresh in his mind. He was however able to admit that it had been a small minority who had made his life hell even if many other had joined in on the periphery. But he was kind and forgiving enough to know that he would be able, in time, to get on with those who were going to remain. Many of the older people had decided to return to earth or another settled colony where they would have an easier lifestyle. Having a primitive life had been good when they were young but most wanted an easier life in their old age.

The council of six and eight other settlers had been identified as having been involved in the genocide of Merlin's people and would be returned for trail to Federation Headquarters. It was considered such an extreme case that it warranted such a high profile. The dracons were able to provide much of the evidence needed as their memories were such that even small details were remembered. The Vulcan team were working on transferring the memories to computer.

As the U.S.S. Camelot's crew continued with shore leave Merlin found himself joining many of them and showing them his home. A couple of the dracons even agreed to fly some of them on their backs. Much to Merlin's amazement Kilgarrah offered to take Merlin and Arthur off on a tour. Merlin could never remember Kilgarrah ever consenting to such treatment before. But they found he had an ulterior motive as he flew then deep into the unexplored area of the planet. Unexplored, for hundreds of years, that is except for the dracon themselves and the Draconlords.

Once there he took them to a series of large caves that held a huge store of written information. Kept over the centuries by the Draconlords. Including the ones who have been on earth in the six century. Many had been taken to the planet when the dracons first arrived from all over the galaxy.

Arthur and Merlin looked at some of the books and Merlin found to his delight some written in the old tongue, a language his mother had taught him as she said it was the language his father had spoken and written in for special occasions. Some were what could only be described as spell books the others stories of those times. From another book Merlin found he was related in a direct line from the warlocks of Earth's history of that time.

Kilgarrah pointed the pair of them to a book of prophesies dating back a thousand years it mentioned them both by name. Merlin sat down and translated it

' There will come at time when many millions of live will be threatened, then Emrys the last remaining Draconlord, will be found by a man from a ship traveling between the stars, together they will stop the threat and go on to change the direction of beings everywhere to follow the true path of the balance and the power will come back to the worlds. They will each become one like sides to a coin. The once and future saviours of beings everywhere.'

Merlin looked at Arthur "Well the first part is right" he grinned "But the rest is a bit far fetched"

Arthur looked at the young man in front of him and leaned forward. "Would it be so bad to be stuck with me?" he asked.

Merlin looked at Arthur his face unreadable "I'm a civilian, I can't stay with you, and besides my place is here with the dracon, I am the last Draconlord"

Arthur took a deep breath. "On our way here I was offered a new job, one where you could come with me, we could also come back here for months at a time" he paused "I sent a report in about the mining colony and mentioned your views of the balance. It struck a cord, it seems the Federation Council is unhappy at the waste we are bringing to our galaxy and want to investigate other cultures and beliefs to find a better way. It seems for a start there is something in the pipeline to replace dylithiam crystals with something environmentally friendly. And I thought if you were willing we could use your discs and the dracons to travel the galaxies looking and meeting people. After centuries of using materials that damage things we are finally getting our act together." Arthur smiled at Merlin "Would you join me and see if we can do what the prophesies say?"

"Look Merlin I know I'm nearly twice your age, but I can't see my life without you, will you marry me and work with me teaching me all about the balance."

Merlin looked up at Arthur and smile "Of course I will you prat, I have fancied you something rotten since we met." Merlin threw his arms round the Captains neck and kissed him.

After a few minutes Arthur broke away from Merlin and looked down at the young man led in his arms. "By the way Morgana and Gaius have asked if they can be transferred planet side, Gaius wants to look into his genetic connection with you and your people and Morgana wants to get more involved and help translate your languages and work on her powers. And I wouldn't be surprised if the rest of the bridge crew don't want to help in some way to."

Epilogue

Arthur and Merlin were on Earth for the sentencing of the council of elders and others for the genocide of the dracon people. They were sentenced to a corrective penal colony for life. None showed any remorse for what they had done. Then they went back to Draconia, where, as Arthur had predicted, all the old bridge crew and Gaius, Gwen and Mithian were now working. Lance and Gwen had married and were deeply involved with the dracon and the store of historical books tracing the journeys of the dracon. Gaius and Mithian were tracing genetic links of the dracon race, once planets that they had visited to identify those who may have some of the powers. Morgan's own powers were growing rapidly and she was using them to help Arthur and Merlin to investigate ways of helping to restore the balance in the galaxy. Leon was supporting her as they too had married. Freya was transcribing all the books in the Draconia store. Even Gwaine and Percy were involved as the planets only law enforcement, and that tended to be for the many visitors that came to see the dracons. Although try as he might Gwaine had yet to get a dracon drunk, which was just as well. Elyan was working as an engineer on the many ideas that were coming up for truly 'clean' energy, but he too had a home on Draconia where he spent all the free time he could.

Arthur and Merlin were travelling the galaxy and beyond meeting beings and spreading the word, in the company of Aithusa and the two discs. Although at the present time they were the only ones using truly 'green energy' even if Arthur still didn't understand how it worked. He didn't care for he and Merlin had found each other, and a purpose that held them together. Two centuries after the start of the green movement on earth humans were finally grasping the true meaning of green "The balance" all thanks to what they had once thought of as Magic and Dragons.


End file.
